Reflecting on Leaning

My most passionate hope for my future is to make a positive impact on the lives of not only the children in my classroom, but for children all around the world.   I want to contribute in making a difference so that all children are given the opportunity to hope and dream and to turn those hopes and dreams into reality the same as I was given.  I know that there will be many obstacles to overcome, but thanks to the knowledge and skills I have gained through the various courses here at Walden, I am better equipped to deal with whatever comes my way.   I want my children to learn to be proud of who they are regardless of their skin color, race, gender, economic class, culture, or ability.  We were all created equally and should be treated as such.  I believe anything is achievable if we all work together to achieve it.  Early intervention is key in achieving this; therefore, we must start by creating and maintaining anti-bias learning environments that empowers children’s ability to thrive and succeed in school, work, and life (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).

A special thanks, to my college professors and colleagues for your never ending support, encouragement, feedback, and suggestions.   The bonding partnership that we formed over the past year will stay with me forever.  Our journey has begun to advocating for the betterment of our children and their families.  I wish each of you nothing but success in all your future endeavors.

Reference:

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).



Impacts on Early Emotional Development

I chose the Middle East and North Africa region where I decided to focus on Saudi Arabia because I work on a military base and many of our troops are deployed to this area each year.  This affects many of our children and their families in our program. I wanted to find out why there was such a great need to continue sending our troops to help protect and defend this area of the country.

After reviewing this site, I found that many children are facing challenges in this region that negatively effects their emotional growth and development.   Many are often victims of brutality and slavery.  They are not allowed to attend school so that they can get an education.  Instead they have to work very long hours each day in order to help support their families.  Thanks to an 11 year old girl who was rescued from such devastating conditions, telling her story of never having the opportunity to attend school; large corporations have donated funds in the sum of $4.5 billion to help some 15 million children globally for the next three years (Karwal, 2008).   Although this is a great step forward, there are still 75 million children who have not gained access to primary schools as well as a shortage of teachers to teach the children. 

The children health is another challenge these children have to face.  There is a global malaria crisis going on in the area.  There is a wild outbreak of poliovirus in Nigeria and if the children do not receive vaccinations, they could die.   Unfortunately, due to the poverty stricken families living in this area of the world, they cannot afford health care.   Thanks to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s contribution of $1,588.000, up to 3.77 million children under the age of five years old were able to receive Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV)in 2011 (Boher, 2011).  The Nigerian government and community partners are on a quest to reach every child before it is too late.  Unfortunately, this brings forth another challenge with the influx of migrants and nomadic groups moving in the area.  This makes it difficult to vaccinate all the children.

                                                   

It is always heartbreaking to hear how children are being mistreated.  I could not imagine my child not being given the opportunity to attend school or receive her vaccinations when needed.  Many third world countries are still living in the era where education is not a priority, especially for young girls.  These countries rely on the children to work and become soldiers in their army at a very early age.  The violence and trauma that comes along with such life styles causes the children to accept this as the way of life.   For many, this is all they know and come to believe that everyone lives this way.   These children grow up in fear and terror of being beaten and raped if they do not follow their society’s rules.   Many have never seen the inside of a classroom, doctors office, watched a television, talked on a phone, rode in a car, ate ice cream,  or experienced any of the joys that most of our American children have experienced.   These children are made to feel inferior, unworthy, incapable, powerless, and often unloved.    

These are innocent children who are being forced to skip their childhood and become uneducated adults before their time.   Many of us take education and health care privileges for granted while we have children in other parts of the world who wish they had the opportunity to receive them both.  We do not know how important something is until we do not have access to it.  This is sad, but true.  After reading about the lives of children in Saudi Arabia, India and Africa, my mind started spinning and my heart melted.  These articles touched me both personal and professional because I want to contribute to helping some of these children gain access to health care benefits and educational privileges the same way most of our children have here in America.  In the past, I have hesitated on sending money to support certain causes because I often hear in the media how the funds are misused and do not go towards helping the ones in need, but now, my thought process has changed.  As long as I do my part, it will be between that person and God of how they distribute the funds received.   I would also like to share this information with students and their families to see if we could do something as a program to support the children in these areas.  I was thinking maybe donating books, paper, pencils etc., to some of these areas in an effort to help educate our children and their families, but to petition for community support as well.  

References

Boher, A. (2011) Saudi Arabia provides critical support for polio eradication in Niger. Unicef.  Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/media_61021.html

Karwal, R. (2008) UN event features $4.5 billion pledge to support ‘education for all’. Unicef.  Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/media_61021.html

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

As I read the article So Sex So Soon, I noticed all the blame was placed on the media, but I feel that parents should share in some of the blame as well.  Our children cannot afford to buy their clothes, cell phones, Ipods, get their nails done, eyelashes arched and so on.  We all need to take responsibility in the part we play in devaluing our children’s self worth.    Our children’s foundation begins at home.

Yes, I agree children are paying an enormous price for their childhood.   In actuality, their childhood is being taken away from them because they are being forced to grow up before their time.   According to Levin & Kilbourne (2009) “Children are robbed of valuable time for age-appropriate developmental tasks, and they may begin to engage in precocious sexual behavior” (p. 3).  I think parents look at this as providing the best for their children without considering how their efforts are negatively impacting the development of their children.    Our ignorance is putting our children at risk for sexual violence, low self-esteem and depression, to name a few risk factors.   The industry’s goal is to make money and unfortunately, this is done by promoting sex and violence.  

Sexualization treats individuals as objects of sexual desire instead of as people with genuine sexual emotions and appeal of their own (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009).   This sends the wrong messages to our children that their value and success are dependent upon the way in which they look.   Movies, music, TV programs, video games, and even toys marketed to children are rife with degrading images that objectify and sexualize girls and woman.  Boys are also affected when sex is commodified, presented in the context of harmful stereotypes, and intertwined with power and violence.  Unfortunately, I see how sexualization negatively impacts the lives of our children every day.

A four year old girl comes to school every week with her nails freshly polished

and a new hairdo.  She is dressed in clothes that a teenager would wear.  Boots with hills, designer jeans, and tops that either reveals her midriff or shapes her upper body.  

A five year old boy walks into the classroom wearing shades, baggy jeans that are hanging half way his buttocks, revealing a clear view of his jockey shorts, and an oversize blue t-shirt with matching jacket displaying a violent character on the front.

A parent rides through the parking lot playing loud offensive music while he drops his child off to school.  The lyrics by Usher are screaming,

“She don't know that she makin' me want her, (Yeah.)
No more she tryna keep me from her.
She don't know that she makin' me me love her, (yeah.)
No more she tryna keep me from her.”

“That girl is so cold, she know what I know,

but she keep her mouth closed.

She's so sexual, and she knows.

She don't know it's killin' me inside cause I want her body.”

When I see this, I think to myself, how can we, as professional educators change our children’s way of thinking if the parents are their number one role models.  Many of our parents are dressing the children the way they dress.  They are exploiting their children without even realizing it.  We have to get the parents buy-in first.

            

Therefore, I think is our responsibility as early childhood educators, to educate our parents on ways in which the media is negatively impacting the lives of our children now and in the future.  I feel that we can discuss this one-on-one or in an open form in order for everyone to share their thoughts concerning this issue.  I think it would be a good idea to have the So Sexy So Soon article readily available for their reading along with related articles so that they can see how the trends have evolved over the past decades.   I have always been aware of sexualization, but reading the article So Sexy So Soon has brought the issue to the forefront.

Reference:

Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction] So sexy so soon. The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1–8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf

 

Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

Last week I encounter what I perceived to be racism.  My classroom is comprised of three African American teachers, eight African American children and two Caucasian children.  One of the Caucasian children transitioned to the next age group.  This left the one Caucasian in the classroom with all African American Children and teaches.  Once the parent found out that the child had transitioned, she asked to have her son moved to the classroom across the hall.  Two of the teachers in this room were Caucasian and one was African American.   Seven of the children were Caucasian and two were African American. 

The director reminded the mom that the child had just transitioned into the classroom the previous week and that the child may need a little time to adjust to his new environment.  She informed her that he may experience even more anxieties if he moves again so soon.  The parent began to cry and stated that her son is normally happy and that she did not want to lose that.

The parent began to make formal complaints about her child crying for long periods of time when she dropped him off.   She said this was causing her to be late for work because she could not leave her child when he was crying like this.  The next day she made another complaint that she had informed the teacher that her child had switched to whole milk and the teacher did not communicate this to the other staff; therefore, her son was given the wrong milk.  Later, she complained that her child came home with a scratch on his back and no one was able to tell her what happen. 

We tried everything we could to reassure the parent that the child was safe and that he only cries for a few minutes after she leaves.  I tried to help the mom make the adjustment by informing her that she could have the clerk at the front desk, pull up the classroom  on the monitor so that she could see how he interacts when she leaves.   She refused to do this and stayed in the classrooms.  I then tried to explain to the mom that her son can sense her tension and will display the same behaviors.  It did not matter what was said or done to reassure her, she wanted her child to be moved.

We asked the parent if she would like to have a conference with the classroom teachers, program Training and Curriculum Specialist and Program Director so that we could brainstorm of ways to meet the needs of her family.  She agreed, but the day of the conference, she met with the Director alone and refused to meet with the group as a whole. Needless to say, the Director decided to move the child.

When I was told the child was going to be moved, my first thought was what message are we sending to not only our children, but to the other families in our program.  I feel that if there were indeed a valid concern with our teaching methods, then we needed to get to the root of it, because by agreeing to move her child does not fix the problem.  I did not want to believe this was a racist move, but deep down I felt that it was, because the mom refused to give us a chance to meet their needs.  I think as that child, I would grow up with prejudices and biases towards individuals who were not of the dominate culture.  I would not know the true meaning of embracing diversity because I never got the opportunity to experience it.  I am happy to say that our entire program fosters anti-bias learning; therefore, this family will have another opportunity to learn to accept and respect diversity.  I hope that as a program we can help his mom learn ways to embrace diversity so that she is better able to support her child’s anti-bias learning.

Observing Communication

Today, one of the teachers called the front desk to say a child was not feeling well and if I could come down to check on him.  As I entered the classroom, I saw the child lying on a mate in the corner.   I kneeled down next to him so that I could feel his forehead.   I noticed that he was running a fever.   As I was asking him how he was doing, a little girl walked by and asked “Jason why are you lying on your mate?”  She then asked “Are you sick?”  She looked at me and said “You need to call Jason’s dad because he doesn’t have a mommy.”  The teacher immediately said “Why did you say that, everyone has a mommy?”  The teacher took her by the hand, and led her to another area.    The girl walked away with her head somewhat held down as though she had said something she shouldn’t have.

 I think the teacher missed the opportunity to embrace a teachable moment.  Instead of cutting the child off, she could have elaborated on the child’s comment by explaining to the child that there were other mother figures in the child’s life such as a grandmother,  aunt, or Ms. Mary down the street who cared and loved Jason just as much.  She could have had the little girl talk about her extended family and the roles that they play in the family.  She can have a group discussion, with the help of a persona doll, about who takes care of them when their parents are away and what are some of the things they do with this person.   She could also make a chart of what the children say to show a connection between their family, extended family, and community.   If the teacher would have taken the time to address the little girl’s comment appropriately, she could have prevented her from feeling as though she did something wrong and Jason from getting his feelings hurt by the comment.   Both children could have walked away with a high level of self worth. 

I think that Jason’s feelings were hurt because the teacher’s reaction confirmed that not having a mom was obviously a bad thing.  His eyes looked very sad as he lay on his mate alone.  The teacher never considered how Jason felt; because she went on to change the subject by telling me to ask the little girl what she learned about Martin Luther King today.   I could only imagine how Jason must have felt.   It was as though Jason did not exist in this environment.  

This week’s lessons made me more aware of what the children were saying both verbally and non-verbally.  I found myself paying more attention to what was being said and what wasn’t.   I feel that both are important in order to create an effective anti-bias environment for our children and their families.   In the past, I would listen to what the children were saying, but not always intervening appropriately when necessary.   This area I definitely need to improve in.  I will be watching and listening for teachable moments such as the one I observed with Jason so that not only I can become more empowered in my communication, but so that I can empower the children around me as well.

Creating Affirming Environments



I envision my family daycare home to be a safe haven for children and their families.  My goal is to create an enriching environment that empowers equality and justice for all.  The only way that I can truly accomplish this is by creating an anti-bias educational family childcare home that empowers acceptance and respect for others.  I know that this is not an easy task to accomplish; therefore, I must take into consideration all the families I work with and ensure that their culture is embedded and reflected throughout the environment, because I want the families to feel welcomed.

I think that it is important that parents know what is going on with their child and how they are spending their day while in my care.  Therefore, I would create a Parent Information Board close to the front door. The board would include my license; so that they would know that I am running a legitimate business; a daily schedule, so if they want to stop by for a visit, they will know if it is lunch time, nap time, outside time and so on; a menu, so they will know that their child is receiving nutritious meals; sign-in and out sheet with emergency contact numbers just in case I need to reach them, a newsletter informing them of any upcoming events, parent resources information, and so on.  

I would also have a mail-board where parents could leave notes for me about their child and I can leave notes for them informing them of items their child may need such as wipes, diapers, formula, and any information needing to be passed on.  I like the idea that BJ Richards shared about sharing anecdotes about the child (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). I could make a copy to place in the child’s mailbox for the parents to take home or I could e-mail them a copy of what I observed their child doing or saying while playing in block area and so on.  I feel this is important in order to keep the communication flowing between the teacher and parent in case the parent is rushing when dropping off or picking up their child.  I decided to create this board because in the video, Adriana Castillo, shared how parents could use the writing board to leave messages for her (Laureate Education, Inc, 2012).  I wanted to be able to communicate with the parents in this way, but in a more private way; therefore, I felt that if each family had his or her individual mail-box with a photo of the family attached to it, it would make the transitions go smoother.

I then have to create a healthy learning environment that is going to meet the needs of all of my children and their families individually. I would start off by creating learning centers; dramatic play, art, music, manipulative, science, library and computer, blocks and constructions and quiet area.  Of course, I would have to set up the environment in a way to promote healthy learning.  I would set up the music, block, and dramatic play next to each other and the library, computer, quiet area close together, and the art, science and manipulative adjacent to each other. I would separate these in this way so that the children using the quiet and relaxed areas are not interrupted by the children using the high stimulating areas. 

I would then add developmentally appropriate material to foster a child’s self-concept and empathy for others by empowering healthy intellectual, physical, social, emotional, and moral development (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). The material will include anti-bias books, a variety of musical instruments and CDs, diverse dolls and puppets with varying age gaps, race, gender, body type and disabilities. The dramatic play area will include a variety of clothes, toys, and props for both male and female’s roles. There will be prop boxes to support various themes such as a grocery store, hospital, post office, home environment and others for children to freely role play; thus, making sense of the world in which they live.  The manipulative area will consist of a variety of diverse games and puzzles, with both domestic and store bought items. The art area will contain paper, markers, crayon, play-doh, and paints depicting various skin tone colors. It will also have both right-handed and left-handed scissors, large and small paint brushes and paper and so on. The library would have hard and soft books both domestic and store bought for children to read and tell stories. 

 The overall environment will have photos of the children and their families, children’s art work with their names on it, at their eye level. Children’s long term projects displayed throughout the environment such as Lego designs, science projects, and more.  There will be posters, paintings, and quilts reflecting the culture of the families (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  Everything will be labeled using the language of the families in my program. 

Children will have their individual cubby, toothbrush, blanket, and mat/crib with their name on it, to make them feel a sense of belonging. They will have the opportunity to participate in a group setting or alone if they so choose.  A quiet area with lots of pillows, books, paper and pencils, will be available for children to utilize at their leisure.  I was encouraged to add this to my environment when I saw Adriana’s transition room where the children are encouraged to express his or her emotions as well as deal with conflict. I wouldn’t want to have a separate room because I want to be able to see them at all times, but I do want to provide them with a place where they can go and think about what they are feeling and why.

There are many things to consider when creating an anti-bias educational family childcare home; therefore, it is essential that we have the child’s best interest at heart. Instead of becoming over stressed and overwhelmed, we need to take it one step at a time (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). By becoming overly excited, often leave room for mistakes and short cuts that can limit our ability to fully meet the needs of the child and his or her family.  Slow down, get to know the children and their families and let them get to know you.  This will begin my process of creating an environment that promotes respect, acceptance, and appreciation of others.

Reference

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

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). Welcome to an Anti-Bias Learning Community (2012) [DVD] Strategies for Working with Diverse Children. Baltimore, MD: Author.

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!!