Professional Hopes and Goals

This post is in response to the end of an eight week course on Perspective Diversity and Equity.

"WE ARE THE WORLD"

At the beginning of the course we were asked to watch several videos from Playing for a Change songs included in those videos were "One Love", "War/No More Troubles", "Imagine", and "Equal Rights". 

Thinking about what I have learned in this course and ways to stand up and make a change I began thinking of other songs that send this same message.  As an early childhood educator I hope to make a difference in the lives of families, children, the educational learning environments, and within the communities I work.   "We are the World"  is the first some that came to mind.  Of course upon searching for video I came across the original, then the many times across the world the song was used, along with the most recent version remade for the devastating earthquake in Haiti.   I finally found this wonderful rendition with pictures of children.  

One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds I would like to communicate with them by listening to them and hearing the families goals for their children.  I hope to keep an un-bias open mind with regards to the backgrounds.  I think often times when hope and insist that they conform to our culture and our needs, and I am working to put myself in their shoes.  I have never been to another country and I can't imagine what it would be like to move and begin school outside of my culture.  These families have dreams for their children just as American families have dreams for their children.   One hope to remain open and sincere about hearing these families and communicating with them to insure they feel welcome.

One goal you would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is encouraging ece colleagues to be mindful of their biases and careful not to judge, but rather do their best to include all families.  Also, to share their ideas with one another on ways to incorporate diversity into the field.  As I have learned in this class, something I have seen many times, diversity is more than just a book with children of another race.  I believe this is the easy way out to say "yes I have diversity in my classroom" when in actuality you don't really.  One goal to stand up and make a difference through discussing with colleagues ways to change.  To standup for bias statements that I hear in and around me.

I would like to say thank you to all of my colleagues that I have worked with in the last eight weeks. We have worked hard and come a long way, I have really enjoyed reading everyone's blogs and discussion posts.  Together we can make a difference one small step that each of us takes adds up to one big step.  Reminds me of Neil Armstrong and his walk on the moon.  Also, another song that comes time is posted below. 

 
"Joyful Noise" - THE MAN IN THE MIRROR

Welcoming Families From Around the World

Background Info. for this Post - I have been asked to think of a scenario for this week for a class in social justices and diversity. For this scenario, I will be working with a family in an Early Childhood setting of my choice.  
I know nothing about this country, but I chose it because when some of my ancestors came over they came from what was Bohemia at that time.  It is now the Czech Republic.  So I thought why not start there.  As I was doing this I thought about the boy from my family who came over on a boat under a lady's dress in order to escape, from what I don't know.  This could not have been an easy adjustment for him, while he had left his royal family behind and hidden with a servant lady.  He was nine when he arrived. What did the United States entail?  I'm sure it's difficult for children even today.  I figure this assignment would give me a starting place to find out about this country.  The story above is all I've ever known about it. 

Czech Republic
Just arriving in the United States from the Czech Republic is a family that I will be working with this year in our Early Childhood Program.
Preparing myself to be culturally responsive towards this family 

1)  I would look up the language of the country and try and learn at least hello and goodbye along with a few other phrases that would be welcoming to family.
Possible one to let them know that I do not speak Czech -Nemluvím česky .
Hello - Dobrý den
Goodbye -Na shledanou
These and other phrases can be found at Czech Phrases

2)  I would research what the social system of the Czech Republic was like,  the education system, the religions, and the government.  This would help me to get a better idea of what the family had been exposed to in their home culture.   

3)  I would plan a home visit with a translator if one was available and if not would do my best to translate what I could.  I would also ask around to find out if there were places in the community, in which, I could find services for them that would be helpful and put them in touch with those.

4)   I would prepare things in my classroom from their culture words, pictures, or items.  I would also check into foods for snacks. 

5)    I will prepare myself to listen to the family and be understanding of their needs and frustrations, as I'm sure there will be some.  I will work to find ways to connect with this family and not over step their beliefs on parenting.  I will work to with them to help them feel like they are apart of our environment through, language, discipline, and participation.

6)  Look into Early Childhood organizations in the Czech Republic and ways to connect to professionals there. 

It is my hope that these preparations will benefit both me and the family. 

Preparing to work with a family who is from a different country and background than mine or one I am familiar with would be quite the challenge.  Knowing that there are 195 different countries that exist in the world today, and according to the U.S. census bureau the United States' population includes individuals and families from 150 of those there is is good possibility that I will be working with many children that I can not culturally relate too.   I hope that these preparations will allow me to get to know the family and what their goals are for their child's education.   Getting to know them and their social identities will help me form an educational environment that is friendly and welcoming for them.  What I learn through research may also form some biases within myself or bring about some that I was not aware of.  Knowing my background and what I have experienced personally I will be able to set these aside and get to know this family.  I will work through the research to understand things and form partnerships with not only this family but possibly early childhood professionals in the Czech Republic. 

Helpful Web Resources for connecting to the Czech Republic 

Hello Czech Republic 

European Union

Bias, Prejudice, & Oppression - A Personal Side

Age & Sex Related
Just recently in having my house worked on I was talking with someone that would be moving our things out while we have some work done.  While he was working at my house he received a phone call from his 16 year old son.   He asked if I had any children.  I said no but I have one that hangs around that's 16 and driving.  His son had complained to him that he needed to have his breaks looked at, so his dad told him to take it somewhere.  He did then called his dad.  The shop he took it to found nothing wrong with the breaks but found several other things that needed fixing.   His father was convinced the shop had taken advantage of him because of his age. 
This got me to thinking about this class on diversity and the things we have learned and discussed.
I have also experienced age discrimination and bias as it relates to the world of car repairs.  Often as a women I have gone in to get new tires and something looked at with no intention of purchasing anything, but tires. 
I remember at about the age of 18 or so going in and being offered several things for my front end (of the car).   I didn't feel anything wrong and my dad did most of the work on my car.  He hadn't mentioned anything.  I ask the guy at the counter if it was something that could be done at home.  He said well it would be difficult, it requires heavy lifting and tools that I may not have.  I told him my dad had changed the transmission in my car so he could probably do it.  The man didn't ask anything else after that, he fixed my tires and I left.  When I got home I told my dad what happened and he said they were probably just trying to sell me that because I was a girl and didn't know any better  (sexism), and because I was young (ageism).   I did mention that a saw another man come in he got new tires and he left, no problem.  There was another woman there just for an oil change and they told her she needed new tires too.

I also purchased a new car a couple of years ago.  I went and looked with a girl friend at first before taking my husband.  Why because I like to look and shop and he doesn't.  So I thought why not look then take him.  When I went with a girlfriend they were quick to show me anything I wanted, but hesitant to show me under the hood.  When I took my husband they asked him to raise the hood, and take a look.  I was interested, after all I would be driving it and putting gas in it.  I was most interested in the spare was it a doughnut or a full spare.  I can change a tire along with other small mechanic things on a car.  

The bias and prejudice in these incidents diminished equity by not treating young drivers and women the same as men.   

• A frequent gesture of sexism is that "women can't work on cars and don't know anything about them."   This diminishes equity and can make women feel they are not appreciated in the automobile industry. 

•  In buying a car "they just want it too look good".  Well who doesn't.  

• A young driver gets the ageism comment "they parents are probably giving them the money" or "daddy's buying". 
•   I worked as a teen and I didn't appreciate those comments at all.  If it broke I had to fix it or pay to have it fixed.

This made me feel like I was not suppose to be capable of learning about cars, working on cars, or even smart enough to know when I'm being jerked around when purchasing things for my car.

The employees who are selling cars, car parts, and mechanics need to change to not make offers about things unless it is specifically ask and when make offers make them to everyone.  I understand that in this business like any other it is about making money.  The man offering me could have said I think you might need to have what ever the part was looked at and then left it to me.  Instead of saying this needs to be replaced would it be ok if we fixed that for you.  A lot of negativity come from the way things are worded.  Sometimes this can come from women towards women as much as from men.   The salesmen and the industry in general would need to change some of their own biases and work toward becoming an anti-bias environment just as teachers are working toward making a diverse filled anti-bias learning environment.  

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Microaggression

Example 1

This week was our last week of school.  During this week we had a pre-k graduation and awards day for the school.  I had to watch the door during the awards day to ensure that parents were going through the office to check children out and not through the classroom halls.  As I was standing there another faculty member approached me and said, "that family (which was white) has been stalking me and they really give me the creeps.  Everyone of them is married to a black person". This microaggression was not directed at me and just happened casual conversation.  I was a little surprised because the person saying this was is suppose to be one setting an example.  I felt uneasy because I began to think about the children of these families, and what interaction had taken place if any between this person on staff and this family or any other biracial family. 

Example 2 
I was speaking with some (black) co-workers about the topic for this week "microaggression", and what it means.  The reminded me of a time that another teacher was talking with a Hispanic family.  She She aid to them, "you get food stamps don't you, you are a minority".  I know because my daughter was dating a Mexican and I know you can.  Once again shock for me.  I have known many people that require public assistance that are from different races and classes.

Example 3
I have always lived in the inner city where it is predominately black.  I am white and I catch a lot of slack for living there. Talking with another coworker we were discussing some shootings that happened near them over the weekend.  She turned to me and said, "I guess that would be pretty normal for you, you're pretty use to it with where you live".   I have become fairly numb to these comments so I usually just say, "ya pretty much".  Thinking about it with this weeks comments in mind brought things to a whole new light for me.   It's really not ok,  I like where I live and it's really not that bad.

Perceptions of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people...

As I mentioned in example three.  I always replied to comments of this type with ya I guess or something to that effect, but looking at microaggression these are hurtful words.  Sometimes I think we do become numb to some of these comments because we do hear them so regularly sometimes.  I listen more closely knowing the effect I could have on someone with my words.  These have been made more clear to me and therefore more noticeable when heard.  I think people use these more than I first realized unknowingly maybe or maybe just without care.  

Persepectives on Diveristy & Culture

 The four people I talked with this week about culture and diversity were of different ethnicity, race, class, religion, age, and gender. 
Below is a list of the people I spoke with and their definitions

Parker age 19 and male -
* Culture - the history, tradition, and overall way of life for a specific group of people
* Diversity - differences in physical appearances, and ethnicity
Pam - Pentecostal 
* Culture - What you are taught from your ancestors and not necessarily where your from (your environment)
* Diversity - all race, creed, color, religion
April - Black, Female
* Culture - any group of people's language, art, music, religious, belief, clothing (dress), & traditions/values
* Diversity - an understanding that society is made of various cultural, ehtnic, racial,  & religious groups that create one global community
Gwinn -  Native Americann
* Culture - Our native language, our food, our way of living, and our native regalia
* Diveristy - (no response)

Reflection

• The aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied in my class on diversity and culture that are included in these examples are that of culture comes from our experiences in life and our traditions not necessarily the environment in which we are raised or grow up.  Dr. Janet Gonzalez-Mena talks about culture and diversity being a set of unconscious rues that govern everything we do.  As Parker stated it's the overall way of life for a specific group of people.  Yet what Pam states is that it is what we are taught and not necessarily what is learned from our environment.   
• Through these definitions some aspects of culture and diversity were omitted such as that some children are not raised with their family as Dr. Gonzalez-Mena stated.  They are with caregivers outside of the home which may in turn allow them to develop the culture of someone else versus their own family culture.  Gwinn and April's definition of culture lend to the definition of "surface culture" more so than to culture from what where we are taught, experience, and how we are raised.  
• In thinking about these definitions listed above of culture and diversity they influenced my own thinking about these topics was challenged.  I have gained a great about of knowledge on what culture is just in the past two weeks.  I can see that culture is a complex make up of everything that we are and everything that we do.  Diversity is a benefit as Dr. Gonzalez-Mena points out to us.  Their definitions were very general in terms of what culture and diversity means.  They did not give specific examples of their own cultures and diversity but rather a general definitions.  

As I have mentioned before I live in such a diverse area with a wide variety of people.  The cultural differences of families really stand out around me.  I am sure mine does to them as well.  Our celebrations are different, our holidays, and even our daily lives of what we see as acceptable behavior is a challenge to us all.  It has especially become a challenge to children.

 

My Family Culture

Scenario -- A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of the United States.  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 hose 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.

Chosen Items

1) Family Recipe Book

My grandmother was a cook, home economist, and teacher.  She was my sunshine and taught me everything I know today including the importance of education and teaching.  Along with many other women in our family she had wonderful recipes from both the north and the south that remind me of my American family traditions and holidays.  Many recipes were passed down from her mother and grandmother.

2) Bible 

This was a bible given to me when I was confirmed.  I am a Christian and it is important to me to remember this and share m faith wherever I go.  My bible is a reminder of God's promises to me and to stay strong and secure in my faith.  The bible is all the instruction needed to get through whatever life throws my way.  For instance, the fall of the United States infrastructure.

3) Wedding Album

My family, friends, and church as witnesses supporting my husband and I in joining together in holy matrimony in their presence before God.  A reminder that marriage is important and that we are one together not separate.  That we share vows together that one is not better than the other or more powerful.  That marriage is between two people and a lasting love covenant until we are parted by death.

Oh me, oh my what's that they say.  To this foreign land, in which I may stand, I may only have one...

If this were to be the case I would feel a sense of unfairness and unjust.  I am not use this and would be sadden with this decision process.   I would cry or more or less throw a fit.  I hold all of these above items as a part of my family belongings, that can be passed down for generations.  I would cry and be simple heart broken.   Each thing is different done having to do with the other.  If I lost one I would feel like a part of me had been lost and destroyed.

Insights

As a result of thinking about this through this exercise. I have gained a better since of my culture and what I truly hold dear to me.  I had not thought about these things in the past.  Of course, I have thought if I was trapped on a desert island what would I take.  I have to admit none of the above were on that list.  I thought of this like the scenario sets up, what if I did not know where I was going or if I would ever return.  I am quite a home body and don't take changes very well.  This would be very difficult for me.  I had a disaster at my house a year ago in April and lost many pried family possessions.  I can not imagine going through this.  I do however, realize that many families do experience this and have to leave everything.  My family culture and cultural differences are importance to me such as my faith, religions, food, and marriage.  The diversity within these things contain likenesses and differences that I want to be able to express freely.  

When I Think of Research...

The first thought that comes to mind is "time", and how little of it I seem to have these days.

The course of study at Walden University that I am just completing is Building Research Competencies.  I have learned a great deal from this course on what goes into the educational research process.  The amount of time spent on research can vary depending on the type of study being conducted and the participants in the study.  Research is valuable to the field of early childhood education to show the importance of children getting an early start to promote healthy educational growth and development.  Throughout this course I have worked on a research simulation pertaining to the value of parental involvement in the early childhood classroom.  Should this research project actually be carried out I believe it would show that the more parents are involved in the classroom the greater the benefit to the child.

I have a greater appreciation for research and the research process.  For many years I have read journals and research projects not really understanding them or the work that goes into them.  Thanks to this class my ideas about the nature of doing research have changed.  If my curiosity was sparked I would be inclined to get on board the train to conduct a study myself.  Work is never as much fun or enticing when it's something you are learning to do, as it is when you set out on your own to do it.  I believe that is the driving force behind many early childhood researchers is their passion for the field and the to see it thrive in the future.  Without the research to show that early education has benefits many programs would seize to exist.  I have a new respect and understanding for educational research and how it is used.  It for more than writing a paper for college. Often it's hard to see past that when burning the midnight oil.

Careful thought is put into the planning of how to begin the research process.  Planning a research process can take a lot of time, in and of itself.   Once a general topic is chosen it must be broken down into smaller subtopics before a research question can be formed. Determining who the participants will be and what method of research to use all depends on the data the researcher wishes to collect and the amount of time they have to collect it.  Also, the availability of resources and convenience to the researcher has to be considered.

There were many challenges that I encountered while preparing my research simulation project.  I would think I was just getting everything narrowed down, then I would realized it needed to be changed.  I looked over the criteria for what had to be included and what could be left out.  I would readjust and begin again.  That's what good research is all about, being flexible.  Each week when I learned new terms it was a challenge for me in not only understanding them, but applying them to my research simulation project.  This was probably the most difficult for me.  I was able to push through and as time went on I understood a little more all the time.

 My perceptions as an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course on research.  I see the need there is for research in the field, but also how much goes into the research process.  Without research in the field of early childhood we would not be in the field we are today.  In recent years, there as been tremendous growth in the field and I believe we owe it to professionals and researchers in the field who are dedicated to the success of young children and families.  These people like myself and other in this course have a passion for this field and a drive to do what ever is necessary to see it thrive.

I have had my share of struggles in this course, as it was all a very knew learning experience for me.  I have enjoyed, as always reading others blogs and discussion comments.  It's always interesting to see others point of view.   I look forward to continuing my educational journey in this field with others who are as passionate about it as I am.