Blog Assignment: Welcoming Families From Around the World

Think for a moment about the following two statistics:

• About 195 different countries exist in the world today.
• According to the U.S. census bureau, the United States’ population includes individuals and families from 150 different countries.

For this assignment, imagine the following scenario:

You are working in an early childhood setting of your choice—a hospital, a child care center, a social service agency. You receive word that the child of a family who has recently emigrated from a country you know nothing about will join your group soon. You want to prepare yourself to welcome the child and her family. Luckily, you are enrolled in a course about diversity and have learned that in order to support families who have immigrated you need to know more than surface facts about their country of origin.

In order to complete this assignment, first choose a country you know nothing about as this family’s country of origin.

The country of origin I chose for this assignment is: Sierra Leone

It’s a country with ultimate natural wealth -gold and diamonds and holds one of the world’s largest natural harbor at the capital city Freetown. 70% of the population is living under poverty making it the third poorest country in the world.  Sierra Leone is also one of the world’s most religiously tolerant nation where large population of Muslims and Christians live in harmony. 

To prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family, I would research the countries various religions, traditions, living conditions, education system, health and nutrition standards and so on.  I would then interview the family via Skype, and ask for their expectations of their experience here in the U.S. along with helping me understand their personal culture.  Because the differences between this family and others in my program, I am share information with other families so they can be comfortable and welcoming to the new family/child.  I would familiarize myself with the typical way of life in Sierra Leone, their communities, markets, villages, mosques and other places of worship... the internet would be an invaluable resource tool for this investigation.  I may contact our local community center, social services department and religious groups to attempt to connect from someone more familiar with the culture than I am.  I would be especially careful to be aware of stereotypes of people from the country and work to not discriminate or be hurtful in my assumptions.  I do know that Sierra Leone is still recovering from a devastating 11-year civil war that ended in 2002, so I would be especially careful with how I approach the families emotional state and subjects regarding war, suffering, loss, religion and so forth.

These preparations would benefit both the new family, myself, and others in our program.  My job is to make families feel welcome, accepted, safe and respected.  I need to be comfortable in my knowledge and understanding before I can begin the process of helping others.  Knowledge is power, knowledge is a tool, and knowledge can build bridges.  That's what being an educator is.

 Education in Sierra Leone:

http://www.col.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/05SierraLeone_EnviroScan.pdf 

Utube video on Sierra Leone: Maternal health in a poverty stricken country

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBr4qIPOIg0

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Exploring the concept that personal biases as well as institutional prejudices are sources of inequities and oppression, and that bias and prejudice themselves are learned...

• What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows
• The movie: The Color Purple has been one that clearly represented oppression and prejudice.  This movie forever changed the way I view racism and oppression in the early to mid 1900's.  It provided an eye opening insight into a young black woman's struggle for her personal identity in a cruel and oppressive world.  I recommend this movie to absolutely anyone seeking insight into a world they are not a part of.
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• In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?
• This movie takes place in rural Georgia and focuses on female black life during the 1930s in the south.  It addresses the numerous issues including African American's exceedingly low position in American social culture during this time.  It also addresses female rights and oppression, blurred gender traits, insecure sexuality and the cyclical nature of racism and sexism.
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• What feelings did this incident bring up for you?
•  This movie brought me to tears several times, created rage and anger, and in the end, I mourned for the characters that this movie represented in actual life.
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• What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?
• This movie can be used as a very powerful teaching tool on oppression, racism, sexism and so much more.  We cannot erase the past, but we can learn from it. Being born after the civil rights movement, I ave not experienced racism on this level, however, learning about it is a crucial step in not repeating it. 

Blog Assignment: Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

At the beginning of this week we were asked to observe our own and other people’s verbal interactions and detect examples of microaggression. In this Blog Assignment, I will share what I experienced and what I learned from my observations.

Assignment:

• 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?

This week, I was in the grocery store picking up a few items when I over heard a white couple commenting that it must be food stamp distribution day and how glad they were that people are able to purchase food to live one.  As I looked around, I noticed a black family of 3 children in line that appeared to be a lower socioeconomic class in dress, but as I observed, the mother paid with cash.  She did not respond to the comment but her body language showed disgust and anger.  I feel that whether or not the white couple intended harm is irrelevant, it was in fact very hurtful on a psychological level.  This interaction angered me as well.  I did not speak up, but left the store feeling sad that our society is so oblivious to racial insults and microaggressions. 

  

• In what ways did your observation experiences this week affect your perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people.

I have discovered that I am more observant of discrimination and microaggressions now that i have explored, researched, and learned about not only this type of harmful behavior, but its powerful affects on others.  I can own that I have most certainly been both a contributor and victim of this behavior. I feel that when the insult is unintended, it is most powerful.  Racism (all "isms") exist today on some level.  We are subconsciously carrying on emotions of hate, fear, and nonacceptance.   Once we realize this, we can begin to curve our behaviors and help others learn from mistakes tool. 

Blog Assignment: Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

For this assignment:

Interview three friends/ family members/ acquaintances/ or colleagues including one person who you believe is in some ways culturally different from you…

Record their responses:

Definitions of culture: “Culture is things that enrich our lives, they make us part of a unit (like a family or community), they are defined by geography, they are rich in history, they are when we have opportunities and experiences, they come from the ability to have enriching experiences and they define who we are, culture is our beliefs, thoughts, practices, ways of doing things, how we approach situations, how we interact and make decisions.”  

Definitions of diversity: “Diversity is a product of our culture, diversity is mainly race, age, gender, religion, political affiliation, diversity makes the world interesting and scary to some, fear of the unknown is why there is sometimes little acceptance of diversity, diversity defines who we are- our abilities, too much diversity can be a bad thing.”

Reflection: I chose to interview a fellow early childhood colleague and found her responses similar to what I have studied in this course.  These include how culture is rich and is defined from experiences, and makes us who we are inside.  She also commented that diversity and culture go hand in hand- that knowledge of both are a necessary part in teaching young children respect, tolerance and acceptance.  My elderly family member’s response to culture was passionate about her own and how it defines us, but then her reaction to the definition of diversity was guarded and cautiously answered.  She mentioned that too much diversity makes this world confused on who we are; we lose sight of our culture when it starts mixing with others.  I was taken by her comments, but had to respect her thoughts and understand that her perceptions were due to her childhood and life experiences.  The third person I interviewed was a young parent in our early childhood program.  This parent is also a student at our community college.  He answered the questions with enthusiasm and included that culture and diversity go hand in hand, that we are living in a melting pot of culture and mixing all together slowly.  He mentioned that diversity makes us all definable as different and unique- I liked his statement. 

It is amazing how these responses have influence my thinking about culture and diversity.  I respect all three individuals I interviewed I different ways.  What an interesting assignment. 

EDUC-6164-2 Perspectives on Diversity and Equity Blog Assignment :My Family Culture

Scenario:

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.

Respond to all of the following:

• A description of the three items you would choose 
• I would take a photo album of my family of several generations (either old fashioned album or electronic), A cookbook with traditional recipes of my culture and ones I hold dear from my family, and my Great-Great-Grandmother's wedding ring.
• How you would explain to others what each of these items means to you 
• I would utilize the cookbook to prepare dishes that represent where I come from, photos to show my family and to teach others of where I come from, and the ring simply represents love, passion, endurance, and resilience of a young woman who came to America at the age of sixteen alone from Czechoslovakia.   
• Your feelings 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 would absolutely be devastated, but would hold on to the ring.  This ring represents over 5 generations of woman and my history of where I come from.  The cookbook and photo album are simply material items that remind us of past experiences, interactions, and memories.
• Any insights you gained about yourself, your family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences in general, as a result of this exercise.
• I found it interesting that I am emotionally connected to a ring rather than a photo album or cookbook.  I hold memories of cooking and family members dear to my heart, but the ring represents so much more of my life.... It represents several of my social identities that I have acquired throughout my life.

When I Think of Research...

Week 8 Blog Assignment

As we conclude our studies of research, take time to reflect on the experience:

• What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?
• In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?
• What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?
• What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?
• What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?

This has been an intense course designed to increase our ability to use research as a tool, to examine the articles based on specific criteria, understand ethical issues in early childhood research, become a designer of research, understand quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, we learned how to mixed methodologies to better serve our research designs, and finally how to move beyond equity to find justice and fairness in research.  

The nature of doing research is intense and very rewarding.  I have learned how to categorize data and make sense of it all through examining summaries and relevant information.

When planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood, it is necessary to consider biases and be ethical in all decisions for conception to conclusion.  This will affect the data and research study on so many levels.

A challenge I encountered throughout this process is determining which triangulation to use to determine validity in my simulation.  In was attracted to theory triangulation due to its multiple perspectives to interpret a single set of data, however I eventually decided on utilizing data triangulation for my study.  For my study, I would be collected mutilple  sources of data through direct observations, surveys, interviews and interactions, so this triangulation eventually won over (with the guidance of Dr. Terry).

My perceptions of early childhood professionals have been modified as a result of this course.  I respect anyone who dives into research for the betterment of young children.  The process is daunting, but so rewarding.  

Thank you to all of my colleagues for your guidance, support, and encouragement throughout this intense course!

Week 5 Assignment

For this Blog Assignment, choose one link and explore the available research. Let the following questions guide your search and respond to the following:

• What are some of the current international research topics?
• What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website?
• What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?

Early Childhood Australia: This is the Australian equivalent to the U.S. based NAEYC. You can access several links to early childhood research from the menu on the left side of the home page. 

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

There are several international research topics currently being explored by the Early Childhood Australia organization.  These include:

Respecting diversity: Articulating early childhood practice

Children's resilience: Working with the Early Years Learning Framework

Learning and teaching through play

Stars are made of glass: Children as capable and creative communicators

The Early Years Learning Framework: Building confident learners

The Early Years Learning Framework: Getting started

Optimistic carers and children: Pathways to confidence and wellbeing

Nurturing the spiritual child: Compassion, connection and a sense of self

Dealing with bullying together: Prevention and resolution

Portfolios: Documenting a journey

Treasures and collections: A touch of magic in the early years

Learnings from High/Scope: Enriching everyday practice

The Code of Ethics: A guide for everyday practice

The Circle of Security: Roadmap to building supportive relationships

Greening services: Practical sustainability

Dreaming Stories: A springboard for learning

Discovering letters and sounds

Capture the moment: Using digital photography in early childhood settings

Diversity and difference: Lighting the spirit of identity

Managing change with infants and young children

Young children as active learners

Active children: Healthy now and later

Young gifted children: Meeting their needs

Engaging families: Building strong communication

Storytelling with young children

Understanding children's feelings: Emotional literacy in early childhood

Overlooked curriculum: Seeing everyday possibilities

Aggression and young children

Revisiting celebrations with young children

Meaningful planning: Rethinking teaching and learning relationships

Learning with computers

Babies: Good beginnings last forever

Managing difficult behavior in young children

I examined the organizations Code of Ethics and discovered that there are similarities to our own NAEYC's Code of Ethics. 

"Inherent in this Code is the understanding that children learn within their family and community groups, bringing
rich knowledge, and a diversity of experiences and identities to their learning. Sociocultural theories have moved our
focus beyond individual children’s development to highlight the importance of social contexts to children’s learning
and development. As children participate and learn in their communities, they in turn influence those communities.
Early childhood communities ought to be spaces and places where practices such as responsive listening and dialogue can
build connections and relationships which sustain and advance individual and collective well-being.
Early childhood professionals have a strong history of advocating on behalf of children and their families. This revised Code builds on this tradition by making explicit the ethical responsibility to take action in the face of injustice and when
unethical practice occurs.  This Code is not intended to, and could not possibly provide, easy answers, formulate, or prescriptive solutions for the complex issues early childhood professionals face in their work.  As an aspirational document, it does provide a basis for critical reflection, a guide for professional behavior, and principles to inform individual and collective decision making."

The following values and processes are considered central to the Code of Ethics:

• respect
• democracy
• honesty
• integrity
• justice
• courage
• inclusivity
• social responsiveness
• cultural responsiveness

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/pdf/code_of_ethics/code_of_ethics_%20brochure_screenweb_2010.pdf

I found this site has multiple reliable and resourceful links to information on "supporting best practice" in early childhood education.  There arr over a hundred provided resources.  After examining several, I found new resources that I will be utilizing in the professional growth.

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/supporting_best_practice/supporting_best_practice.html