Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

This week for our blog assignment we are going to discuss the impact on stereotypes and prejudice will have on the teacher. So far in my teaching career I have suffered from one type of prejudice. I had a father tell me basically that I didn’t know how to discipline kids or know anything about behavior, because I was not a parent. This was my first year of teaching and for the most part I think I handled the confrontation well. However, it really upset me and it made me question everything I did with that specific child and family all year. As I said that is the only major issue or “ism”, if you can call it that, that I have dealt with in my teaching career. 

Other “isms” that I can possibly foresee myself having to deal with are sexism, racism,  and ageism. For ageism, I am considered still a young teacher and some see that as a disadvantage. They can possibly think that I might not have enough knowledge or not know how to handle their child. There could be a bunch of different reasons why people think that being young is a disadvantage. However, there are also people out there who think a new young fresh mind is an advantage. For sexism, being a female can come across as a disadvantage to some people. Some might think that I maybe I can’t teach a certain subject because men do a better job at it. Or, that females can’t be physical education teachers because, that is seen as a mans job. Who knows what kind of stereotypes and prejudice people think of. For racism, being white, blond, and female, so people might have prejudice against me, just because of that. 

As I said I have never dealt with any of these ‘isms’, but if I did, I know that I would be greatly upset by it. This would cause me not to want to talk to the families who have an issue with me, or possibly I could get very defensive and fired up and deal with it in a bad way also. Depending on how severe the situation was. I could see it going either way. As I mentioned above I would second guess every decision I made regarding the child as well. Would parents think that I am being racist, or sexist because I chose to do something this way. It would be a very stressful time and I know that it would affect my work and my life. As it would affect other children and families that I am working with and not just the family or child that I am having a problem with. I guess you never really know how it will impact you until it happens though. 

I hope I never have to deal with any of these “isms” or others that I have not mentioned, and I hope that families and children that I work with don’t have to deal with it also, and when they come to my classroom, I hope they feel welcomed, loved, and respected. 

Communication observation

For this week’s blog post we were suppose to observe an adults with a child. Well I had the opportunity to do this observation on a two hour bus trip to see the Mayan ruins in Mexico. The adults and child all spoke Spanish so it was hard for me to understand all of what they were saying, but you could tell that the little girl was the center of attention. By watching the nonverbal cues and facial express they were all having a good time on the bus. My Spanish is limited as I have said before but I could hear that someone was counting with her in Spanish and saying her alphabet. This seemed very appropriatebecause she looked to be about 4 years old. This little girl did very well on the bus with everyone and every now and then she would turn around and I would try to visit with her the best I could, her mother would help me out, because she knew English. This little girl was very animated and was making the adults that she was with laugh and smile. You could tell that she was comfortable with them and with me and who she was. “They need to feel respected, and they need to fee grounded in themselves and accepted for who they are, and heard” (Laureate Education Inc., 2011). I think that the adults that were communicating with the child, did a nice job of making her feel confident and her self-worth was amazing. She knows who she is and is not afraid to show it, even at a young age. The adults knew who to communicate with her, and encourage her, by what she was doing. “ Children communicate, really, all different ways and use their bodies so much that if you’re sensitive, you can really pick up about cues about how to communicate” (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).

I feel that I communicate with children on the same level as the observation I made. Observation of young children is the key to see how to communicate with them. That is a big part of my job. I want to get to know my students so I observe them with other kids and with their family. Making the child feel safe and loved is another part. That is what the adults and mom did for that little girl and that is what I try to do in my classroom. 

Resources: 

Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for working with diverse children: Communicating with young children.Baltimore, MD: Author

Creating Affirming Environments

         For this post we are suppose to write about how we would set up our own Family Child Care Home. Over all like Bj Richards said, “ Children must feel safe, loved, and nurtured, to develop the basic trust they need for healthy development” (Derman-Sparks &Edwards, 2010, pg. 52). To start off, my home is warm and caring and provides a place where children can be loved, feel safe, grow, play and communicate with others. When you come in my entry way is where I would have the check in/check out area. This is where they would sign in and tell us our their child’s night was. Also according to Adriana Castillo (Laureate Education, Inc., n.d.). this is a great place to let the parent and child to say good bye as the prepare to separate. This is place is cozy and makes every family feel welcomed. 

Everywhere there will be pictures and books that represent the children and families in my Family Child Care Home, and children and families not represented. “...children also need materials that honor diversity both within and beyond their own identity groups” (Derman-Sparks &Edwards, 2010, pg. 43). However, as we continue through the house we will come to the living room where I would hold circle time and story time. I have seen this in my friend’s house when we were growing up, because her mom had a Child Care Home. There were lots of comfy chairs and pillows for story time. and then there was a big colorful rug that she had and used for circle time. 

Moving on in the house I have another room that is for rest time or if a student needs some quite time. This room has soft music playing and lots of comfy pillows, blankets and mats for children to lay on. I feel that children need a space where they can relax and calm down if they are having a rough day. Adriana Castillo from the video,  (Laureate Education, Inc., n.d.) also had a room like this. 

As I envision my Child Care Home, I want a place where families feel welcomed and respected. I want it to be a second home for them, so they can come a share stories and activities with the kids. “Relationships and interactions with children and families, the visual and material environment, and the daily curriculum all come together to create the anti-bias curriculum learning community.” (Derman-Sparks &Edwards, 2010, pg. 51). As I have learned this is going to take some time, and I am going to try things and they are not going to work well, and I am not going to have all the materials right away but, to take small steps. Eventually it will all work out.

Resources: 

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).

Laureate Education, Inc. (2011a). Strategies for working with diverse children: Welcome to an anti-bias learning community. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Education, Inc.

Goodbye

My biggest hope when I think about working with families and children, is that they feel welcomed. I want them to know that they are going to be respected and valued when they are in my classroom and working with me. I want them to know that we will celebrate and learn about their culture as well as other cultures. We will communicate and learn and accept everyone’s unique style. 

One goal that I have for the early childhood field that is related to diversity, equity, and social justice, is that anti-bias education becomes apart of every early childhood classroom. The other Kindergarten teachers that I work with are using some ideas that I have suggested, to incorporate diversity and equity to their classroom. As I continue to grow and learn from this program and continue my journey as an anti-bias educator, I hope I can help integrate into all classrooms. 

As I finish this class, I just want to give a big thanks to my instructor and my colleagues for all your support and guidance the last 8 weeks. I wish you all the best of luck on your continued journeys and we are almost there!!!:)

Way to Go!!

Rachael 

Creating Art

In week 7 on in this course we are asked to reflect on what we have learned throughout the assignments and the readings. I have learned so much about myself and others on my way to becoming an anit-bias teacher. It is a process and it is also going to take time, but I am working on it. As I reflect on what I have learned about diversity and what it means to me. I think of music. I relate a lot to music and there are a few song that have such powerful lyrics, that I would like to share with everyone. 

The first song is We Are The World by a multitude of stars. The lyrics, “We can’t go on pretending day by day that someone, somewhere will soon make a change” really resonates with me, because it can start with someone who stands up and advocates for people. I am doing my part about helping changing the world by becomeing an anit-bias’ teacher. Here is the youtube site. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi0RpNSELas

The second song that stood out to me is, “We Shall Be Free” By Garth Brooks. 

This song also gets the help from other starts, and it has very powerful lyrics, and a just as powerful video. “When the last thing we notice is the color of skin And the first thing we look for is the beauty within”. That is so true and touching. There is such a good message in this song.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtxqJGmq-Pk 

The final song is Imagine by John Lennon. I heard this song the first time with my dad and I thought it was so good. It didn’t really have an impact on me until later in life, when  I actullay started to listen to the lyrics. “ Imagine all the people, Living life in peace”. This lyric really make you imagine that and it is something that I pray for it to happen. I know it is a long road, just like becoming an anit-bias’ teacher, but I am ready to take baby steps to get there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVg2EJvvlF8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVg2EJvvlF8

Here are also some pictures/posters that really help me define what diversity means to me. 

               

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

I remember a time, because it just happened a few months ago when my grandma passes away.  One of my dad’s best friends came to the funeral and he is in a wheelchair. He was in a diving accident and became paralyzed from the waist down. Well my niece Brailynn (age 4) was standing by my dad as he was talking to Levi and Brailynn kept staring and staring at him. Finally she said out loud “why are you in there?”  My dad hushed her and Levi just smiled. My dad’s friend has young grandchildren of his own and he is use to this question. I am sure I even asked it when I was young, because he has been wheelchair bound for a lot of years. As I continued to observe that  little trio, Levi pulled Brailynn closer to him and told her in a child friendly way why he was in a wheelchair and how his legs didn’t work anymore. He even let her sit on his lap and he rolled her around a little bit. It was a simple answer and it worked for her. She didn’t need any more explanation. 

I feel that what Brailynn got out of that conversation was that he hurt his “legs” and now he can’t walk anymore. She doesn’t understand what it means that he is paralyzed, but she does know that he wasn’t born that way. As I continued to watch her I overheard her tell her twin brother as she points again to Levi, that “he can’t walk, he hurt his legs” .  I can possibly see that Brailynn might think that anyone who hurst their legs might end up in a wheelchair, but she remembers when my mom had hip surgery, and my mom’s leg hurt and Brailynn knew that she didn’t have to be in a wheelchair. 

An Anti-bias teacher would have went further into the discussion, about how some people are born and they have to use a wheelchair early on, and how some people get in accidents and have to be in a wheelchair. “We also challenge bias about physical characteristics by providing images of lots of different body types” (Laureate Education, INC. n.d.). Asking questions and showing examples of different people is a great way to extend the discussion also. “Children can also broaden their knowledge by sorting pictures into different categories. This set of pictures shows people with disabilities in active roles in their homes” (Laureate Education, INC. n.d.). Those are just a few examples of how an Anti-bias teacher would have added to the situation. 

Resources: 

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Start seeing diversity: Physical ability and characteristics [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Gender topics

This week in class we are talking about gender roles and sexual orientation. Looking into all types of media I realized that there are not many things out there that help children understand that it is ok for a boy to be a nurse and it is ok for a girl to love and work on cars. There are a few things out there like books or movies that show two gay dads or lesbian parents. Media is getting better but I think there could be more things in the classroom that could help educators. 

I know that some educators and families do not agree with having these materials included in the classroom. I disagree with that. No matter what their bias’ are there is still a need to educate children on these topics. “...it is still important to acknowledge the existence of families with gay and lesbian parents, so that children are prepared to be respectful when they do meet people who are lesbian or gay” (Laureate Education. INC. 2011). 

When my nephews come over they like to play dress up with their sisters and cousins. SInce the girls are wearing dresses the boys want to wear them also. My brother in laws do not like this at all. They make comments on how their boys are going to grow up and be sissies or gay. They say the same thing when they play dolls with the girls also. My sisters go on to inform our brother in laws that there is nothing wrong with them wanting to wear dresses. They like them because they are sparkly and they can spin them. We also tell them that playing with dolls will help them when they become daddies or with a younger brother or sister. Well after a while my oldest nephew said he can’t play with dolls because boys don’t do that. I know this is because his father and I complete disagree with it. I have tried to educate him on what his teaching his son by saying these things. Hopefully I will get through to him one day. 

More people are coming out as gay or lesbian or doing things that are not typically in their gender role. So there is a huge, “need to validate all the kinds of families children are coming from” (Laureate Education. INC. 2011). As educators we need to know what type of family our students are coming from and be educated on how we can help them and other children who don’t understand or have questions. 

Resources:

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Start seeing diversity: Sexual orientation [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu on Sept. 19, 2014.