Creating Affirming Environments

For this week’s blog assignment, I have been given the task to imagine I have my very own Family Child Care Home.  I would first incorporate structure and independence building in a free play curriculum. I believe that although I am allowing the child to develop at his or her own speed that the child will be able to gain the knowledge and skills needed to flourish academically and developmentally.

In creating and opening my very own Family Child Care Home, I would like to service families with children six (6) weeks to four (4) years old. I would like the various age groups to stay together and have a very small class teacher to student ratio. I would first create an in-take process which will allow me to better get to know the families in which I will be servicing and also allow the families to express their views, concerns, and highlight their culture in a more intimate setting. I would love to work with families from all different kinds of cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds.  In order to build a lasting partnership I am aware as an early childhood professional, that it is important that I make all the families being serviced visible inside the classroom and the center or home as a whole, and that I should also gain input from the families about their traditions and beliefs. One thing that I found useful inside my current classroom was creating a family tree and having the children bring in photos of their family and have the children and parents and/or guardians create “All about Me” books. It was during this time when the families got more involved into the lesson and became creative with highlighting their family inside the classroom. I also found that the children loved displaying their creations during Friday Show & Tell hour.  Creating an anti-bias environment deals greatly with visual effects and here below are a few things professionals need to take into account when displaying families (2010). They include:

v  Display children and adults from various racial and ethnic identity groups in your community

v  Display families from a range of economic groups performing all types of work (e.g., working class, professionals; work I  home, work outside of home)

v  Incorporate visual images of persons with disabilities of various backgrounds working, playing, spending time with their family

v  Display diverse family structures (single parent, adoptive families, gay/lesbian families, mixed race etc.)

v  Be sure images chosen reflect both similarities and differences within every group as well as between groups

v  Do not show images that depict misinformation or stereotypes about a group

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves.  (pp. 43 & 45). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

What I Have Learned

It is my hope that one-day families from diverse backgrounds see the importance of embracing their differences and be open to share insight on their culture, values, and beliefs with other families inside the classroom. I believe these could bridge the gap between families and staff, educate other families and children, help in bringing the community together, and serve as the basis for teaching understanding and acceptance of all.  I also believe the world would be a better place if families embrace differences instead of shielding them from today’s children.

One goal I would like to set in respect to the early childhood field would be to become more aware of resources, which could benefit diverse families and further my education in diversity and diverse groups. As an educator, I want to feel as if I am current with the issues and trends of the world. I believe by being aware of current events that I would become a better professional and individual.

I would like to express a big thanks of support to my colleagues these course. I have truly enjoyed learning new things from each of you and I feel as if I have been on a journey through each of your lives, both personally and professionally. I wish you all the best in future endeavors and Congrats to you all for making it thus far! YOU ALL ROCK!!!!!!!

Sha’Keema

Diversity Video: My Representation

"Start Seeing Diversity Blog: "We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

In undergrad, I had the opportunity to learn about children with varying abilities and after completing a major project for the course, I realized that sometimes we as humans, take these groups of people for granted and mistreat them without realizing that our words and actions can hurt.  I am fortunate to work at a center who accepts all children and families types, which has given me the opportunity to meet and interact with various types of people. In one classroom, there is a little boy who has cerebral palsy and he has a twin brother in another class. One day the children were outside and I overheard another student say, “What’s wrong with him? He broke or something?”  I immediately noticed that all the students’ on the playground were laughing and cracking jokes and especially the twin brother. I was confused. I immediately pulled all the students aside and explained to them that their actions were mean and wrong, and very hurtful.  I was more hurt at the twin brother because I imagined him coming to his brother’s rescue. I spoke his parents later and learned that he was having a hard time coping with the idea of not having a “normal” brother in his eyes.

            From that day forward, I found it increasingly helpful that I had information on various abilities to share with the children to make them aware that it is important to be respectful and accepting of all. I also encouraged the families to come in and speak to the children, to give them a firsthand look at what it actually feels like to have disability. I hope that by pulling the children aside that it showed them that I care, that I respect all individuals, and that I wanted to share with the the importance of being mindful of their actions.

"Start Seeing Diversity Video" Blog: Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

·         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

    It is my belief that society as a whole loves to be in the dark, but yet loves to dictate what individuals can and cannot do, for example the right to marry for all. Policy makers, educators, and those high up in politics try so hard to cover up the various types of families and fail to realize that gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender families, children and individuals have been around for forever. The LGBT community has spent so many years in the closet and with an increase of people coming out; society still tries not to acknowledge those individuals. As a lesbian, I believe it is important for all families and individuals to be depicted inside the classroom and educators should be willing to educate all children on the various types of people, whether gay, straight, lesbian or other. Bullying is and has been at an all-time high and believe that once teachers, professionals, and parents educated their children on all persons of the world, than we will be able to cut down on bullying and increase acceptance for all.

·         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

When I first read this question, I was flooded with a lot of emotions and feelings.  I am a lesbian and I was hesitant to come into the field of education, because I felt that I would have to live a double life and not be whom I am truly.  I was fortunate enough to have a supervisor and coworkers who were open and accepting and did not judge me on the life choice I chose to make.  In my mind, my parents were my hardest hurdle because I did not want them to think anything perverted or think that my sexual orientation hindered how I taught and interacted with my students.  I have been a teacher for the past year and as of now; I have yet to experience hatred or ignorance at that level. However, if I was in that position then I will let the parents and those individuals know that I mean no harm and that I am capable of providing quality care to their child and that my sexual orientation is not flaunted, and that I respect each family and child represented inside my classroom regardless of the family’s belief.  

Blog Assignment: Stage of Development

There has only been one group in my life, which was hardest for me to leave. That group consisted of me, my best friend/twin Lakeshia, and my best friend Tomeka. We first met each other when we were in middle school and instantaneously we were joined at the hip. People and teachers always assumed Lakeshia and I were twins, so we went along with it and surprisingly people did not find out the truth until the day of 8^th grade graduation. Every other week we would stay after school, go to the candy store, and sit out front the school and talk about life. We each had a unique story, which made us very close because we all knew what pain felt like. On the day of graduation we cried until our eyes swelled and vowed to always keep in touch, which we did for a little while, but eventually over the years we were hear from each other every blue moon. Tomeka and I were the exception; I was there for her when her grandparents passed away and she would come to my church every youth choir anniversary and hear me sing.

            Tomeka and Lakeshia were the greatest best friends a girl could ask for but about two years ago, Tomeka became ill and was hospitalized. Classmates would keep me informed and abreast of her situation due to me being off at school but on February 15, 2011 at the age of 23, I lost one of my closest friends in the world. I look back and wish we had more memories together and I wish I could go back to the good old days in middle school when we would sit on the brick wall outside of school and chill and talk for hours. Leaving and adjourning from any group can be painful, but the experience that I went through with losing my friend, I do not take for granted the people in my life. It is my hope that my colleagues and I see the true importance of connecting over these several weeks and build lasting friendships. I wish us all the best and remember to keep your eye on the prize and I cannot wait to possibly meet you all on graduation day. 

Conflict Resoultion

In my classroom, I work with two other teachers both of whom are Teacher Assistants, where I serve as Lead. Recently I was afforded the opportunity to add another teacher into my classroom and since doing so I have noticed that there have been conflict and verbal exchanges between the two teachers. One day as a team we needed to come up with a fundraiser idea for the school and all I noticed was that sparks began to fly. The two teachers could not agree and so I decided I would make the final decision as to what fundraiser we would complete. I have made it known to both teachers that I am not picking sides and that their behavior has influenced the classroom dynamics. I decided that it would be best if I tried to resolve the conflict before taking it to my supervisor. I found that the strategies I learned in classroom management such as become the delegating and neutralizer could benefit me in trying to have both teachers see the importance of working as a team. I have seen some improvement since the initial talk and will continue to be neutral in their disagreements, enforce that respect for each other and the classrooms is given and use communication skills by authors O'Hair and Wiemann to effectively communicate with my entire team