What I Have Learned

  One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who comes from diverse background is that we are all treated as equals deserving respect and acceptance.

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to ensure all early childhood professionals are equipped with the necessary tools to provide an anti-bias environment for all children.  If the teachers are not properly trained; how can we expect them to be positive role models for children, families, and the surrounding communities?

A special "Thanks" to Dr. Dartt and my colleagues for sharing a wealth of knowledge and insight based on your own personal experiences.   I wish you continued success throughout your forever exciting and challenging careers.  Happy Holidays to all!!

Creating Art

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

                                        

A group of children were looking at their family photos on the Family Display Board in the classroom.  The children were all pointing to the photos and verbally identifying their family members.  One of the girls said “My dad is Black, and me and my mommy are Brown. “  The teacher, who was standing close by, did not reprimand or silenced the girl, but decided to use this as a teachable moment instead.  The teacher looked at the photo of the girl's family and saw that the father had darker skin than the girl and her mother.   The teacher asked the girl “What color am I?”  The girl replied “You are Brown also.”  Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) stated "By age 2, children are using appropriate gender labels (girl, boy) and learning color names, which they begin to apply to skin color" (p. 12).  The teacher went over to the library area and took out a book that depicted individuals with different shades of color.   The teacher discussed ways in which people such as African-Americans can have dark skin or lighter skin, and is still considered black.   The book showed various cultures with various skin colors.   The teacher then took out some dolls and puppets to show the children the different shades of color.   The children were allowed to ask questions and the teacher was able to answer the questions in ways that helped the children understand how some people are the same and how they are different. 

I think that the way in which the teacher discussed with the class the various colors of people skin helped the children understand that it was okay to be different.  I feel that by openly discussing skin colors can foster self acceptance.  Bias barriers can be removed so that acceptance of others can emerge.  

I think the teacher were effective in addressing the issue of race; however, I think it would be a good idea if she included photos of various cultures throughout the classroom environment.  This will empower anti-bias education within the classroom.   The child will become accustom to seeing the various cultures and learn to accept it as a natural part of life. 

Reference

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young
children and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

                                     

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

If I had to meet with a group of individuals who believed that early childhood centers should avoid the inclusion of books depicting gay or lesbian individuals such as same-sex partnered families, I would began by educating the group on diversity to include same-sex partnerships.   I would explain that it is better to educate the children by giving them the correct answers than to leave the questions unanswered and open for speculations.   Pelo (2008) stated “When we make lesbian-and-gay headed families visible in our programs, our emphasis  is on relationships—who people love and how people form families; sex and sexuality are not our focus” (p. 180).  I would encourage the individuals to help select the books for the classroom so that they can monitor what is being viewed by the children as well as provide them the opportunity to be a part of the decision to include the books in the classroom.   

• If you have ever used or heard homophobic terms such as "fag," “gay,” “homo,” "sissy," "tom boy," or “lesbo” as an insult by a child toward another child? Or, by an adult toward a child? Describe what occurred. How might these types of comments influence all children?  (Note: if you have not had a personal experience ask a family member, friend, or colleague)

I have a friend, who was a victim of homophobic slurs as he was growing up.  Some individuals used to refer to him as a book worm because he always had his head in a book and mostly stayed to himself.   His uncle used to tell him he was going to grow up to be a fag because he didn’t act the way he thought boys should be acting at his age.   Fortunately, he was blessed to have someone in his life to teach him how to resist these and other bias remarks and continued on to live a successful life.  Just like my friend, these types of comments will make any child believe this to be true if they do not have a caring adult in their life to ensure healthy development is taking place.   These children usually lose their self-esteem and become withdrawn because they may feel self-hate and self-restricted.   Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) stated “Social realities either support or harm children’s beliefs about their families, about others, and about themselves” (p. 13). 

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves.

Washington, DC: NAEYC

Pelo, A. (Ed.) (2008). Rethinking early childhood education. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools.

Week 8 - Adjournment:

I would like to take this time to say “Thank you” to an AWESOME support team.  You all have been very instrumental in providing me with the knowledge and skills I have gained over the past eight weeks and some even longer.  Your unselfish willingness to share your life experiences have been very inspiring as well as motivating.  I wish you a life of successes through all your endeavors.   Remember, we live in a diverse world and in order to make a positive change, the change must begin with each of us.  God Speed…

 ~Brenda Smith  

Week 6: Team Building

Not all groups make the adjourning process difficult to do.  However, I remember one in particular that made me very sad when it ended and that was the planning of my 10^th year class reunion.  I remember at the end of reunion everyone shared stories of planning the reunion and how everyone began to laugh at the various hurdles we endured throughout the planning process.  Although they were not funny at the time, we were able to look back over them and laugh.  The entire process took about a year to plan and during this time we had created new memories that I had not realized until the last night of the reunion.  We had begun to connect not only with each other but with each other families as well.  It was very difficult to tell my friends good-bye and watch them go back to their individual worlds after staying on the phone until wee hours in the mornings, attending long planning sessions as we drank numerous cappuccinos,  and   hours and hours of licking envelopes, making phone calls and searching the web trying to contact over 400 hundred classmates. 

I feel that high-performing groups are hardest to leave because they represented unity.  Everyone on the team was dedicated and motivated; thus, striving for a common goals.  We had an awesome leader who promoted mutual trust and respect.  She shared her vision for the reunion and was open to suggestions from all the team members.  Everyone respected what the others had to say and in the end we voted on any and all major decisions before they were implemented.   

At the end of the reunion everyone exchanged phone numbers and e-mails so that they could stay in touch.  Some of us hugged, cried, and vowed to stay in touch as well as visit if we were ever in their area. We also took photos to remind us of our time together. 

I imagine my adjournment from my colleagues will be very emotional for me, because we have encouraged each other, shared our experiences and knowledge and supported each other’s ability to learn, grow and develop both personally and professionally.  It is one thing to express our inner thoughts on the discussion board or through our blog, but it will be another to finally meet face-to-face at graduation.  I look forward to meeting each and every one of my colleagues so that I am finally able to put a face with the personality behind the words of articulation.  I think that adjourning is essential because of the need of closure.  The adjourning process gives the members a chance to conduct an after action report so that they can discuss what was effective and what was ineffective for future projects.  This also gives them the opportunity to say good-bye and wish each other well in their endeavors (Abudi, 2010).

Reference

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html

Nonviolent Communication and Conflict Management

For the past two years, we have been giving our staff Time Off Award for their dedication and hard work.  This year we decided to budget for Cash Awards to be given to all staff receiving an Outstanding or Very Good Appraisal rating.  As I finished calculating the awards to be issued, my supervisor walked in and asked how much were we paying out.  I gave her the total, but said that I would like to increase it because we still had over half of the money left that we had set aside for the employees’ awards.   She said she wanted to put the money back into the program so that we can show that our revenue was up for the year.  I told her that I understood that; however, we had set aside the money for the employees and reminded her that the staff had not received a monetary award for the past two years.  After going back and forth a few times, debating our viewpoints, I suggested a compromise.   I agreed not to use all the money and she agreed to giving the staff over half of the money for awards.  

This turned out to be a win –win situation for everyone because the staff received a pretty nice monetary award, my boss was able to put some of the money back into the program, and I was able to show the staff how much we appreciate all of their hard work and dedication over the past year.   We were able to effectively solve this conflict because we used corporate strategies that benefited all parties involved.  We were able to look past our individual goals and focus on a solution that would satisfied the needs of everyone.   Although we were both passionate in our verbal communication about our intentions with how the money should be delegated, we did not result to violent behaviors to get our point across.   

 We saved more money than anticipated; therefore, we were able to give more generously to the staff and still have enough left over to show a small profit.   We were able to effectively resolve this conflict because we were both willing to negotiate and compromise.  It is essential that we learn effective ways in which to handle conflict.  Both the 3 Rs and nonviolent strategies are helpful tools to have when faced with conflicts because they promote peaceful resolutions.

Had this lead to an unproductive conflict, what are some of the consequences do you think I would have endured?

 

Who Am I as a Communicator?

For my application assignment this week, I asked my supervisor and my friend if they would fill out the surveys based on their perception of my communication skills.  As I went over the results of the surveys, I must say I was most surprised to find that all three Listening Styles Profiles identified the same results.  We all agreed that I was “People-oriented;” thus, falling into Group 1. The narrative description identifies this group as being empathetic and concerned with others’ emotions (Rubin, Rubin, Graham, Perse, & Seibold, 2009).  I learned that one of the positive attributes of this group is having the ability to build relationships with others.  Having this attribute promotes effective communication with children, parents, colleagues, and the community at large. It is important to build these relationships so that we can all advocate and support the welfare of others. 

 However, I also learned that there is a downside to being a part of this group; our lack of caution when trusting others.  This leaves us vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation; thus, interfering with proper judgment (Rubin, Rubin, Graham, Perse, & Seibold, 2009).  Unfortunately, not everyone is trustworthy and in our profession we have to be mindful of this at all time in order to protect our children and their families.  It is our job to help teach them the difference between building safe and unsafe relationships.  I think it is important to be people-oriented, but we need a balance to ensure effective communication is taking place at all times, in both our personal and professional life.  In order to accomplish this we need to obtain knowledge and skills in all four listening styles; people, action, content and time oriented.

I must say, I was somewhat hesitant in the beginning to find out how others viewed me, but in the end, I was glad this exercise was a part of the curriculum because it not only provided insight on how others feel when they are under my spotlight, but it open my eyes to communication skills I need to work on internally. 

Reference

Rubin, R. B., Rubin, A. M., Graham, E. E., Perse, E. M., & Seibold, D. R. (Eds.) (2009). Communication research measures II: A sourcebook. New York: Routledge.

Week 3: Communicating Differently

Communicating Differently   

  I find myself communicating with my friend from Panama differently, because she speaks Spanish fluently and very little English.  Her husband speaks both English and Farsi fluently and because their three children are natives of America, they all speak English, Farsi and Spanish fluently.  My friend was telling me how when her children started daycare, the teacher told her to speak English at least 30 minutes a day in the home because the children did not speak English, she was finding it difficult to teach them.  My friend refused to speak English in her home because she took pride in her culture and wanted to pass it on to her children.

I first met my friend during my undergrad studies.  We took a few classes together and ended up working on a class project together.  I remembered having to do most of the presentation in front of the class due to her broken English.  I found myself taking charge of the conversations because I perceived her inability to speak fluent English as a handicap. I also perceived her as being incapable of understanding our culture.  As I began to get to know her on a more personal level, I realized that my inaccurate perceptions were based on my stereotypical thoughts. 

Since this time, I communicate with my friend differently in that I listen intensely when she speaks, because I am what you would call Spanish illiterate.  I wanted so desperately to be able to effectively communicate with her.  Both my husband and daughter have taken Spanish courses and now they are teaching me a few words so that I am better able to communicate with her.  Three strategies I have learned to effectively communicate with my friend and her family is to observe her family’s nonverbal cues, listen carefully to what they are saying and respecting their culture values, beliefs and traditions.     

Her family has become a part of my family in that we celebrate birthdays and holidays together.  As I reflect on our relationship, I ask myself, was it I who was handicap and not my friend.  Just as I saw her as being the outsider; it was I who was the outsider in her eyes.  Had I not taken the time to get to know her as an individual, I would have missed out on what I consider a very special friendship.

Week 2 Blog: Communication Skills

King of the Hill 

I began watching King of the Hill without the volume to see if I could decipher what was going on.  I found that my observation of the nonverbal communication was inaccurate.  As I watched one man being escorted by another to this elderly woman’s office, his facial expression showed signs of nervousness about going to see her.  The man goes home and sits down to have dinner with his family, but shows expressions of anxiety. He grabs both his wife and son’s hand and closes his eyes as if he was praying.  The elderly lady was shown again in the lobby of the hotel speaking privately with another gentleman.  Later the same woman is shown at a dinner with the same man who was now wearing a military uniform.   Four guys were standing on the curve drinking what looked like cans of beer, as the elderly woman pulled up in a limousine and the man got out.  It was obvious this woman had power because everyone seemed nervous and uneasy around her. 

When I watched the television show with the volume turned up; I found that the lady was the governor of Texas.   The guy in the uniform was her date and the guy that was being escorted to see her was his friend who name was Hank.  Hank was being escorted because of security reasons.  Hank was trying to get the governor to support his invention of a propane grill.  He was praying with his family because he found charcoal on the floor by the refrigerator in his house.   Hank thought that his wife did not support his dream of a propane grill and preferred charcoal.  This worried Hank so he told his wife she had to choose.

Nadig (2010) “We all act and respond on the basis of our understanding, and too often there is a misunderstanding that neither of us is aware of” (para. 9).  When I first watched the show, I thought because the woman represented power that maybe she was a part of the mob and that Hank had did something that she was displeased with.  When I saw how nervous Hank was around his family, I thought he did not know how to tell his family about the trouble he was in and that he was praying that it would just go away without anyone finding out.  When the lady showed up to dinner with the man in uniform, I assumed he was her husband.

Had this been a show that I had seen before, I would have known the characters and the roles they played.   My assumptions would have been more accurate.  This exercise reminds me of the cliché “You cannot judge a book by its cover”.  Our minds tell us one thing and our ears tell us something different.  This is why it is essential to listen to what is being communicated to us.  According to Williams (n.d) “Delivering verbal communication involves trying to choose the right words and nonverbal cues to convey a message that will be interpreted in the way that you intend (para. 4).

Reference

Nadig, L. A. (2010). Tips on effective listening. Retrieved from http://www.drnadig.com/listening.htm

Williams, S. (n.d.). Listening effectively. Retrieved from http://www.wright.edu/~scott.williams/LeaderLetter/listening.htm

What is Communication?

My husband, who is the Pastor of our church, demonstrates competent communication when conducting Bible Study, Children’s Church and during his Sermon. For starters, he often has props when speaking to a crowd; whether it be power point slides, fill in the blank, test, posters or whatever is needed to provide a visual for the audience to engage in.  I like the way he starts off by setting the tone through story telling.  He does this so that he captures the audience attention before going into the scripture.  He has a way of magnifying a person’s mind that they become so engross in what he is saying, they want to hear more.  The one thing that I find very impressive when listening to my husband speak is that regardless of the age of the crowd, he makes sure that he reference something to each age group that makes it easier to understand what it is he is trying to communicate to them by relating it to our everyday lives.  In other words, my husband caters to his audience instead of making his audience cater to him.  This is what makes him an effective leader.

I would definitely want to model my communication behaviors after him because he puts the needs of his audience before his own and that is the way it should be.  As professionals we must find ways to stimulate our children minds and eagerness to learn.  We have a better chance of doing this by first understanding how each child learns best.   The younger the child, the short his or her attention span; therefore, we must find ways to obtain and maintain their attention.  In order to be an effective leader, I must gain the skills and knowledge needed to communicate efficiently with my children and their families.  I believe this can be best accomplished by respecting and accepting individual differences.

Professional Hopes and Goals: 

Regardless of the child’s race, gender, sexual orientation, economic class, ethnic group or any other culture traits, he or she is still our future.  I hear the statement all the time “Children are our future,” but do we ever really take the time to think about what those words mean to us?  I know that my ancestors did not want me to grow up in a segregated environment and made to feel inferior and though we have come a long way from slavery, we still have a long journey ahead of us.   Martin Luther King Jr’s. dream was that one day black girls and boys will be able to hold hands with white girls and boys in brotherhood.  My hope is that not just blacks and whites, but all children regardless of the color of their skin are able to come together in unity and have equal access and opportunities to be successful. 

One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to equip all of our early childhood professionals with the necessary tools needed to work with diverse families in order to break the barrier of discriminatory practices in our schools.  This form of training should be mandatory for all professionals working within the early childhood field as a condition of employment.  The goals is to promote acceptance and respect by embracing diversity within our communities; thus, empowering equality and social justice for all.

First of all I would like to say a very special “Thank you” to Dr. Kien for her unyielding knowledge and guidance.  I appreciate your thoroughness and clarity of informing the class of your expectations.  Your promptness in grading and returning our assignments in order to empower our writing has truly been rewarding.  You are an awesome teacher and I hope that I am able to share some of the same qualities with my students that you have passed on to me.  

To my colleagues; you all have been my rock.  I have enjoyed reading your blogs and discussion questions, comments and post.  It is great to get feedback from such a diverse group and know that we are all working towards some of the same goals.  Whenever, I felt unsure about a topic or questioned if I should have written that, I read your comments that encouraged my writing.  I wish you all the best through your journey to success as I look forward to hearing from you in our next class.  Enjoy your two-week vacation!!

~ Brenda                                   

Welcoming Families From Around the World

Zimbabwe is my country of origin                    

As soon as I found out that I was gaining a family from Zimbabwe, I would research the area in which the family was coming from and learn as much as possible about their culture.  I would begin learning about the child’s access to education and health care opportunities so that I can have some form of foundation to build from.   I would advocate for help and support from community resources that can help the family in any way possible to include health, education, housing and other resources available to them.   I would begin to learn about their language and culture traditions so that I am able to incorporate some of them within the environment before they arrive.   Once I collect my data, I would share with the children during group time about our new family while teaching them about Zimbabwe and their language.   I would add pictures of Zimbabwe on the walls in the classroom along with labels written in the Zimbabwe language if other than English. 

My hope is that by being proactive in preparing for the family’s arrival, I am able to eliminate some of the distress the family may encounter due to their transitioning to a new country, with new values, rules and traditions.  I would prepare the children and their families in hopes that they will welcome the family as well.  I want the family to feel included and respected upon their arrival.  I hope that having resources available to them will better equip them with the tools needed to experience a positive outcome living in the United States.   By building this alliance between the family from Zimbabwe and the community at large, we can put a stop to inequitable treatment of this family before it begins; thus, benefiting everyone involved. 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

I was a witness to our waiter being a target of bias and prejudices remarks and attitudes.  My husband is a Realtor during the summer months while school is out.  He and I took one of his clients out for lunch at Olive Garden.  As our waiter, a young Hispanic male, came over to take our order, the client all of a sudden became very rude to him as if he was superior.  The client asked the waiter if he could have a sweet tea, the waiter responded with they did not serve sweet tea, but that they had raspberry tea instead.   The client told the waiter that he would try it, but that it better be good.  I immediately told him that if he does not like it, I’m sure the waiter would be more than happy to bring him something different.   As the waiter was walking away, the client said “I wonder if he got his “Green Card.”  After that, each time the waiter left our table, the client made snide remarks about him having a green card.  The waiter remained professional the entire time.  I must say I was very impressed with the waiter’s ability to remain calm and not show an attitude because if I was his waitress, I do not think I would be as understanding.  However, the waiter may not have been able to afford to lose his job. 

The client exhibited microassault microaggression in that he intentionally degraded the waiter’s race with the intent to cause harm.   He made the waiter feel like an outsider living in “his” country without legal rights.   The client may have even thought that the waiter’s position was beneath him as well since he was the server instead of being served.   The client was intentionally rude to the waiter.   His behavior made me feel very uncomfortable.   I felt bad that the waiter had to experience such humiliating treatment, especially since this was a man of color who should have known how this type of treatment has made him felt in the past.  I guess in order for some people to feel important or superior, they have to degrade others by put others down.   My husband and I tried to make up for some of the discomfort the waiter had to endure by thanking him each time he came to the table as well as leaving him a nice tip when we left.  After talking to my husband about how uncomfortable I felt about his client’s behavior, I found out he felt the same way.  Needless to say, we will not be going out with this individual again.   At least not until he become aware of his biases and prejudices; thus change his negative behavior and attitude towards diverse culture. 

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Throughout this past week I have been observing and listening for verbal microaggressions on television and in person.   I’ve detected more microaggressional conversations taking place on television than in person. 

Fred Sanford is always using the microassult form of microaggression when speaking to Julio, because he is Puerto Rican or Rollo, because he is an African American who Fred referred to as a convict on the sitcom Sanford and Son.   Fred is constantly making derogatory remarks about their culture.  

In the movie White Men Can’t Jump, Wesley Snipes basically tells Woody Harrelson that he can’t slam-dunk a basketball because he is not black.  This was an example of racial microaggression. 

On the sitcom A Different World, Ron Johnson who is an African American college student, was taking bets on a football game from a couple of Caucasian rivalries.    Ron’s team won and his rivalries got upset and called him a Niger.  This was definitely a form of Microassult in that it was an overt, hostile act intended to humiliate and belittle Ron’s character.  


Another sitcom that encourages or depicts microaggressions is All in the Family; Archie Bunker plays a prejudice Caucasian who treats anyone outside of his race as though they are inferior to him.   His behavior is the result of microinsults in that he belittles minority’s racial heritage.  

Even though all of these are individuals acting out various scenarios to make the audience laugh, it sends the public the wrong message and that is that it is okay to treat people this way and that one person is superior to others.   All of my examples above are from television shows or a movie, but what happens in real life situations.  This week, I was speaking with my supervisor concerning the program’s policy of taking food back to the kitchen.    My supervisor implied that it was okay to take the food back to the kitchen to be thrown out, but I informed her that it is unsanitary practice to take the food back to the kitchen and that it should be disposed of in the trashcan in the classrooms.   My supervisor said “You people” then she looked at the expression on my face and stopped and said “when I say you people, I don’t mean you specifically, I mean the base as a whole, do things differently here.”  I told her about my assignment for this week and that I was going to share her comment with the class.  I told her that she had just demonstrated an act of microinvalidation in that her comment made me feel marginalized, even though she didn’t intentionally mean to insult or hurt me (Laureate Education, Inc,).   I felt that she grouped me with others rather than respecting my view as an individual with valid reasoning capabilities.

This remark of “You people” reminded me of the scenario in our discussion question.  It seems so easy to lose one’s identity and become viewed as a group because of society’s norms.   I felt that my supervisor felt that her way was the right way regardless of the policy and that my way was wrong.  I didn’t feel inferior because of the knowledge I had gained through my assignments and readings this week, but I did feel that she thought she was superior.   I do realize that she spoke without thinking and as a result of her unintentional act; I was able to see a glimpse of one of her hidden biases.  I hope that after sharing my assignment with her it will make her more aware of those hidden biases.   Regardless if they are intentional or unintentional, microaggressions can be detrimental to the person on the receiving end.  We all have hidden biases and prejudices that we need to acknowledge so that we can take steps to minimize them.    We must first begin by getting to know each other as individuals and learn to accept and appreciate other’s culture by integrating them within our classrooms.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). Microaggressions in Everyday Life (2011) [DVD] Perspectives on Diversity and Equity. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture:

Shannon, 21 year old, African American

Culture – That’s where your moral beliefs, values and even fashion come from.  It’s your way of life.  It’s a reflection of where you live and where you are from.

Diversity – It’s an individual difference as well as a group difference. Diversity brings about a new era or a new form of culture.

Tommy, 47 year old, African American

Culture – The environment that we were raised in or became a part of.  It’s our history.  We can be in a place with many cultures and sometimes other cultures can influence our behavior and actions. We shouldn’t stereotype because of our culture.

Diversity – Is many, but different group with diverse culture. Be of acceptance that everyone has something to offer.   

Catherine, 54 year old, African American

Culture – Your family traditions.  Is the things that are important to you such as food, attending church, how you relate to the world.  How you are based on your family’s upbringing. Culture belief encompass your ethnicity, we’ve adapted to so many cultures because we were separated from our families.

Diversity – Is a melting pot; a little bit of everyone.  We embrace everyone, as a people and as a whole.  When we marry we embrace.  We embrace them all, but we ourselves are diversity.  We’ve learned to adapt to their rules.

The definitions of culture and diversity given by my family and colleagues are all embedded in the information I’ve gained in this course.   As they stated in their definitions, culture is our moral beliefs; religion, family values; integrity,  family traditions; holidays we celebrate, ancestry; race, how we relate to each other and so on.  Culture encompasses everything we do. According to Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) “The word culture refers to how particular groups of people live” (p. 55). 

My family and colleague’s definition of diversity is on point with what I have learned this far in that diversity is individual differences as well as group differences.   It is a melting pot in which we all contribute something different and unique; therefore, we need to embrace each other and accept that everyone has something to offer. Ramsey (2004) states “Likewise, language, traditions, and values of specific ethnic groups evolve as their members absorb and/or resist the influence of other cultures” (p. 4).

As a whole, I don’t think that anything was omitted in their culture definitions.  However, I think that their definition of diversity could have been expanded in that diversity encompasses all the aspects of our culture because that is the foundation in which our individual identities are formed.  Our culture and diversity intertwine in that our culture traits is what makes us unique and that uniqueness is brought to the forefront when we engage and interact with others.  Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) states “But when we find ourselves in the midst of another culture, or when we must interact with someone from a different culture, we discover that the way we do things not the only way” (p.55).

I must say I found it to be very intriguing how everyone used different ways to articulate their definitions of culture and diversity, but came up with similar meanings.  As they began to tell me what these terms meant to them, the conversation became personal and deep rooted for them.  We began discussing their ancestors and how one of the families was owned by a Chinese family.   I can’t recall ever having such an intense conversation such as this with my colleagues before this.  We made such a connection all I could think about afterwards was the possibility of everyone making a connection as powerful as this, if they would just take the time to learn about the ancestry of each other.

References:

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves.

            Washington, DC: NAEYC

Ramsey, P. G. (2004). Teaching and learning in a diverse world (pp. 3–6). New York, NY: Teachers

College Press

My Family Culture:

If I had to evacuate to a foreign country and was only able to take one change of clothes and three small additional items, I would take my:

 Family Photo Album

                                                         Letters

                                            

                                                  and Family BIBLE

                                     

I would first try to communicate with the natives by learning their language.  I would also attempt to teach them my native language, by pointing to pictures and items while pronouncing the word of the item that I am referring to in English.   I would encourage them to repeat the word to me and then ask them to teach me how to say it in their language.  After we've had a chance to learn each other's language, I would  explain to them the significance of the photo album and how it represent family and friends celebrating different ceremonies in my country.  I would read my family letters to them so that they can hear the passion in tone of the writer.  I would then explain how my family live by the guidance of the Holy Bible that teaches us what's right and what's wrong.  If allowed, I will share my culture while learning theirs: in hopes of preserving my identity as well as my culture.

It would be very difficult for me to give up any of the items that I was allowed to bring, because they are very dear to my heart.  If upon my arrival I was told that I had to give up two of the items, I would fill lost and alone.  I think I would fill very much out of place.

I gained great insight in identifying what are the most important items I would not want to leave behind.   These items are of great significant in my culture, I didn’t realize just how much until now.  Just as we want to  feel respected and accepted, so do the children and their families we serve.  This assignment made me reflect on the importance of individual cultures and it's inclusion within the classroom community. 



When I think of research…

• What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?

I gained many insights about research, though all insights gained are important, some stood out more than others. For starters, one insight I was delighted to gain is that a Code of Ethics guideline is in place to help minimize unethical practices in research.   It defines the core values of the field and is designed to protect the rights and wellbeing of children and adults.  Another insight I gained is that not all research seeks to show differences, some actually seeks to describe and explain a phenomenon.  I also gained insight of how to identify authentic research by studying Dr. Lepuschitz’s article, "A Practical Guide to Reading Research Articles" (Lepuschitz, 2011),through this course.

• In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?

After taking this course, I have a greater understanding of the complexities researchers endure during the process of a study.  I must say I have a greater level of respect for the research profession.  It is very important to take into account all aspects of the study during the designing process in order to minimize unexpected delays and unethical practices.

• What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?

I’ve learned that from the beginning to the end of the process each child is to be treated equitably regardless of their individual differences.  The researcher must refrain from personal biases while employ participation from children.  Children should be given the opportunity to give consent to participate in the study.   All researchers should follow the Code of Ethics guidelines to ensure the children’s best interest is always a priority.

• What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?  

One of the challenges I encountered was developing three sub-topics.  As I continued to work on the various assignments over the weeks, I was finally able to accomplish this.  Another challenge for me was to define some of the key terms in my own words.  I still haven’t totally mastered this skill, but I continue to try.  It was also difficult to understand some of the researcher verbiage

• What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?

My perception of an early childhood professional has been modified by understanding the importance of research. It is essential in today’s society that any and all Early Childhood Professionals should stay informed of the various trends taking place in early childhood.  This can be accomplished by reading research articles, journals etc., networking and advocating for the betterment of children everywhere.  Research can promote successful outcomes for children, families, and society as a whole by giving them the opportunities to a good education.   


A personal "Thank you"  to each of you for sharing your knowledge and insight on research.  I've enjoyed reading your blogs and discussion questions.  Best wishes as you continue your journey in Early Childhood.

Reference

Lepuschitz, J.K. (2011). A practical guide to reading research articles.  Laureate Education Inc., Baltimore, MD