What I Have Learned

I am so grateful for this course and the knowledge and resources I have gained and the amount of information that will help me to successfully become an anti-bias educator. We live in a true “melting pot” where differences in culture, race, beliefs, and traditions are all around us. I feel every early childhood educator should be exposed to anti-bias education and the need to implement it into our classrooms and schools throughout the country. Unfortunately, I feel lately our biases, judgments, and discrimination towards differences are becoming more apparent and the need to have acceptance is crucial. Although I cannot change people’s minds or opinions, I can help them to see the differences in others as strengths instead of negatives and give them an opportunity to learn and share from one another. I want the children and families in my school to feel welcomed and accepted for who they are individually and as a family and know they will be respected for their beliefs and values. It is so important that we learn to build respectful relationships between our parents so that true, honest communication can be had and everyone’s needs are heard and resolved. I want to thank all of my colleagues for their comments and discussions during this course; I truly value your feedback and opinions. I feel I have learned something from each and every one of you and appreciate the devotion and passion you all have for the field of early childhood and making our classrooms equal for all. I wish everyone a wonderful and relaxing holiday break and the best in the future! Good luck and thank you!

Creating Art

Start Young

Treasure your culture; take value in your beliefs

Because all our differences make us unique.

Our similarities bring us closer; while the unknown tear us apart.

We need to have patience and acceptance from the start.

Teach them early; give them respect

For misinformation is something we tend to regret.

Our want for equality; our willingness to persist

Will hopefully one day make it hard to resist

The many ways we can all overcome the fear

And someday justice for all will appear. 

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

There was only one time that I ever witnessed an adult hush a child when asked about an individual’s disability. I was standing in the checkout line at a grocery store reading one of the magazines that stand on the racks close to the front of the line when I heard the mom in front of me say to her son “ Zac, it’s not nice to point, keep your hand down”. This got my attention and was now curious as to what the boy was reacting to. I lunged forward to put the magazine back down when I heard the mom say a little more sternly to her son now “Zac, I will talk to you about it when we leave. Hush”. As I looked around the little boy to take a glimpse at the individual in front of him, I noticed the woman checking out, on the line in front, only had one arm. I guess the woman heard the boy ask a question to her mom and she turned around. Zac’s mom whispered “I’m sorry”. The woman just smiled and turned back around.

I can see how the mom’s reluctance to speak to her son about what he noticed regarding  the woman in front of him can send him a message of not to notice differences in others and ask questions. It’s important that children know it is OK to ask questions about differences they notice in others because this is how we develop acceptance and politeness. It is especially crucial when children are interacting and learning together in an inclusive classroom As Derman-Sparks and Edwards  (2010, p. 125) “all children-those who are typically developing and children with disabilities- need to be able to ask questions, get accurate information, explore their feelings, and learn positive ways to interact with their peers”. I feel it’s important that children understand how to be polite when asking questions to others with disabilities and not to hurt their feelings. Many people that I have come across with certain disabilities don’t mind sharing information and asking questions about what happened to them and how they get by on a daily basis. Although, I know it can be a sensitive topic to some and they choose not to converse with others. I feel it is important children understand this as well, that some individuals will feel more comfortable than others and not to be discouraged if someone chooses not to answer their questions. If I was in that situation, at the moment I realized the woman heard my son being inquisitive about her one arm, I would have politely asked the woman if my son could ask her a question. I feel the woman would instantly know what kind of question he would be asking. It could be a great learning experience for all. As anti-bias educators we need to support children in “developing cognitive and emotional strategies to know what they want to say and be able to say it” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 127).

References

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

          children and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Gender, Gender Identity, & Sexual Orientation

In my personal opinion I feel that homosexuality is still something that is not spoken about in families and is not explained to children at a young age. I feel that adults/parents don’t think this is something that should be discussed with children/ something children need to learn about. My concern is what happens when a child enrolled in a school program, or early childhood center, does have two mommies or two daddies; how will this be brought up to the children so that negative comments/phrases are not being directed towards said child. There are so many different types of families that we have learned about so far in these courses and we, as early childhood professionals need to be aware of the; these families each need to be recognized and spoken about in the classrooms so that all children/families feel welcomed and respected. There are not too many books that depict homosexual families or even manipulatives/toys to have in the classrooms. To be completely honest, I have worked in many early childhood centers/programs and have never seen one poster hung up or one book in the classroom library that depicts homosexual families. Not once have I ever heard a teacher discuss this topic with children or even bring it up to receive information on what children actually know about this topic. I know there are still many adults that do not believe homosexuality is right and this is how you should live your life. If heterosexual couples have the right to be happy than why don’t homosexual couples have this same right?

Every child has the right to see their families honored in their classroom so that they are proud of who they are and where they come from. We need to respect the way others choose to live and conduct their families even if it may not be a way in which we believe or agree in. All we should want is individuals to live healthy, happy, fulfilling, lives in ways in which they choose to best fit their wants and needs. With this being said, heterosexual families should welcome homosexual families or life partners in the fact that they all want what is best for their children. It is important that children receive the correct information when it comes to a homosexual lifestyle and the words in which are derogatory towards same sex individuals. Using and understanding the correct or should I say appropriate terminology, when speaking about homosexual individuals is important so that children do not offend or hurt others when talking to children that may have same sex parents. Having books, poster, and other resources in the classroom will do just this. We need to understand that we live in such a diverse world where there are new cultures, traditions, and beliefs that are introduced to us sometimes on a daily basis. This in turn gives us as early childhood professionals the need to make sure these cultures, traditions, and beliefs are being recognized so that children can develop a positive self-identity that they are proud of and where their families are treated the same as everyone else. As Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2010, p.3) state when speaking about “only a handful of toys, pictures, songs, posters, and the like, depict the full range of family structures” this “invisibility or visibility in the classroom’s physical environment undermines some young children’s positive sense of self, while teaching other children that they are specially deserving”.

Reference

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

Reflecting on Learning

Being an early childhood educator and professional, I have come to meet many challenges, adventures, and stresses, all that have kept me striving to grow and develop into an individual that meets the professional and personal goals I have kept for myself. With the growth I have had within myself during these courses and the wealth of knowledge I have come to absorb, along with the strengths and biases I have come to realize about myself, I feel I am better equipped in educating the students as well as the families in the diversity in others and the uniqueness it brings to our school. One of the goals I set for myself during this class was to create a space where academic and social-emotional goals are accomplished side by side. This course has helped me to find a balance in teaching anti-bias education alongside of an academic curriculum with success. Bringing in new curriculum can always be difficult to fit into the already packed day that is planned, but working toward respect and fairness in the classroom is worth making the room and time for. Viewing parents and families as partners in education is crucial in the growth and development of the children and ensuring that every family feels welcomed and comfortable. I strive to continue to have open communication with my families where conversations are always honest and respectful and sharing of thoughts and ideas is always apparent.  

Without the support and guidance from my colleagues and Dr. Kien I would not have been able to work through the unforeseen challenges and the biases I never knew I possessed. I truly enjoy reading responses and suggestions by others so I can work on and expand my knowledge of early childhood education. I may not have all the correct answers to questions or strategies to take on the obstacles I come across, but with the effort put forth by all of you I feel more confident in my journey I have decided to walk. I wish all of you a wonderful and fulfilling journey in the field of early childhood education and I thank you for all of your amazing insight and support. Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors. 

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

For this assignment I chose to research the area of Latin America and the Caribbean. I chose this area because I have always been fascinated with Costa Rica especially, the wildlife is just amazing. Although I do know a bit about the overall general area I do not know anything about the education or child living situation here. I have to say when I did research this further I found disturbing facts and news that made my heart sink. According to UNICEF (2011) there are “serious situations of inequality and violence affecting Latin America and the Caribbean, where children are highly vulnerable and are among the most disadvantaged of populations”. Education for children in this region, specifically Costa Rica start at age 6 which means many of the children newborn to 5 either stay home or attend one of the few day care settings in the area. Child Labor in this region is a big challenge where girls are forced to stay home and clean their home and others. Another huge challenge that children face on a daily basis in this region is violence; “daily living situations of violence in their closest environment” (UNICEF, 2011). “Indigenous children are the most exposed to violence, where girls and adolescents are still the main victims of sexual violence” (UNICEF, 2011). In Latin America and the Caribbean there is a huge problem and presence of human trafficking, exploitation, and sexual abuse of children and adolescents. UNICEF (2014) is “developing projects and programs to assist in reducing commercial sexual exploitation of children in all countries of the region”.

These challenges that children face on a daily basis will surely effect their social and emotional development and well-being. The children living in Latin America and the Caribbean are being exposed to violence in all areas of their living environment and this can take a very big toll on them emotionally. At such a young age they are not able to comprehend what is going on around them and why. Females are being exploited and abused and are not living the childhood that they should be. A safe and secure living and learning environment is non-existent where they are being exposed to caring and respectful individuals that meet all their needs.

Reading about all these challenges make me feel bad that I sometimes complain about not having extra money in my budget for more art supplies or manipulatives for different classrooms. You don’t realize what is going on in other countries around the world when your world is consumed by what is going on in your location. My main focus is working with and taking care of the children I see on a daily basis, but I don’t realize the horrible conditions that children are living with around the world. I take for granted the funds and means we have here in the U.S. for education for our young children and the care they receive from their teachers on a daily basis.

Reference

 UNICEF (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

I have believed for a long time now that children are exposed to sex and sexual relationships at too young of an age. I do believe that what children see, read, and hear in media and popular culture has much to do with children’s unhealthy attitudes towards themselves and the symbols they see themselves as. According to Levin and Kilbourne (2009) “children encounter these issues at much younger ages than in the past, long before they have the ability to understand or deal with them.” I feel that the discussions that need to be had with children regarding sex, relationships, and self-image in general is non-existent to where children learn what they carry with them through adulthood from the media. Parents as well as early childhood professionals need to be comfortable and confident in the information they provide children in regards to these issues and what they see on tv or hear in songs because they know it needs to be done in order for healthy development of children. Levin and Kilbourne (2010) state that “as children struggle to understand what they see and hear, they learn lessons that can frighten and confuse them; these lessons can seriously harm their ability to grow up to have healthy attitudes about themselves and their bodies and to have caring relationships in which sex is an important part.” This is why “these days’ children need to also be able to talk with trusted adults about the relationships and sexual images that they see in the media and popular culture” (Levin and Kilbourne, 2009).

“According to the most reliable studies, as many as one in three girls and one in seven boys will be sexually abused at some point during their childhood” (Levin and Kilbourne, 2009). I have friends who currently are fostering 4 children and have adopted 1, ranging from ages 1-7. Three out of the five children, boys and girls, have been sexually abused in the previous families. Hearing my friends explain how heart wrenching it is when these young children speak about the abuse they have endured at such a young age brought tears to my eyes and a pain in my heart. These are children no older than 7 years old that have to deal with this kind of abuse and hurt, most likely from individuals that they know. “Almost 90 percent of the time, the abuser is someone known, and often loved and trusted, by the child” (Levin and Kilbourne, 2009). These are alarming numbers, but as Levin and Kilbourne (2009) stated “while child abuse is beyond the scope of the book, the sexualized climate we describe most likely contributes to it”.

It just so happens that I was on the phone last night talking to a friend who is a preschool teacher in another state. She told me an appalling situation that happened at nap time earlier that day in her classroom. My friend had left for the day right after her co-teacher came back from lunch and was not there to witness this in person, although she was called to be informed about it.  Her co-teacher informed her that “joey” pulled down his pants while lying on the cot at nap time. The little girl lying across from him a few feet away noticed this action by “joey” and proceeded to pull her skirt up. The co-teacher said as she was proceeding to approach the situation “joey” got up and started walking over to the little girl, with his pants still pulled down. To not make a big scene at the moment, especially during nap time, she redirected “joey” to the bathroom for that moment. As soon as she told him to go into the bathroom he turned to the little girl and said “come on let’s go into the bathroom”. Her co-teacher said her jaw hit the floor and could not get a word out; she was shocked at what had just happened by two 4 year olds. Not only but a few months ago during summer camp did she talk to me about a little girl in her classroom pulling up her shirt for all the boys outside on the playground. Levine and Kilbourne (2009) state that “a narrow definition of femininity and sexuality encourages girls to focus heavily on appearance and sex appeal”.

It is a shame that young children are growing up way faster than they should be. Children don’t get to be children anymore, playing outside with friends or deciding what dessert they want that night after dinner. Girls are more concerned about what boys think of them and boys and girls are worrying about when they can have a boyfriend/girlfriend instead of concentrating on their school work or just being a child in general. Conversations about sex, relationships, and self-image can be challenging and uncomfortable at times but it needs to be done in order for children to learn the positive lessons that will “shape their gender identity, sexual attitudes, and values, and their capacity for relationships, love and connection, that they take into adulthood” (Levin and Kilbourne, 2009).

References

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

My first teaching job after graduating college was a preschool position that provided me practice, knowledge, and great memories, although it took me a while to build a rapport with some of my parents because I was not wealthy like them, drove an older car, and didn't live close to the school. The day school I worked at was located in one of the richest areas of New Jersey where many of my mothers were fortunate enough not to work and provided their children with many experiences and material items that many other children did not get to have. Some of my families were not in this position financially and were much more open to conversing with myself not just about their children but life in general. These wealthier families made it hard to communicate with them because when I would approach them about their child whether it be regarding their strengths and or challenges, I would get a cold shoulder or an attitude that suggested I do not know what was best for their child. All I basically wanted to do was update them on their child’s education and try to get some information to start to work together as a team. These families wanted nothing to do with working with me and I felt not good enough to be their teacher the way they would speak to me or pretty much not speak to me. I did confront some others teachers that had their child/children previously and they experienced a very similar reaction but it started to die down just as they were moving to a different classroom. Teachers have been trying to work with these families and include them in their children’s educational journey for years and have been unsuccessful. Due to the parent’s attitudes to the teachers unfortunately the children have received mixed messages on how to communicate with others, adults and children. I can honestly say that because of the behaviors and attitudes of the parent’s my overall thought of the children was not as positive as they should have been. It became harder to work with the children because I received no help outside of school by the parents and to be honest their attitudes mimicked their parent’s, where communication became a challenge. What I had also noticed about these children is that they were not immersed in any other cultures other than the dominant culture which they belonged to. It was very difficult to accept others differences and often made fun of children that were not like them and didn’t have the fancy toys they had at home.

Due to the behaviors and attitudes of the children’s parents my overall assumption and outlook of them was not the best it should have been. But also due to the similar attitudes by the children working with them on improving their knowledge of educational information as well as their behavior towards others became a challenge. I do not feel that these children received what they needed educationally and emotionally due to the wall that was kept between the parent’s and the teachers. Because of the way the parents felt about individuals that were of a different culture and whom had less means than they had their children were not accepting of others who were different and didn’t get the opportunity to learn and share from others who were diverse. It was apparent that the parent’s didn’t want their child/children to socialize with children of different races, because of the handful of ethnic families we had in our school, mainly we were all Caucasian, they kept their distance from them and pulled their children away from them if they happened to be playing when they picked them up.  As Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2010) state “In everything they do, families communicate their culture’s values, beliefs, rules, and expectations to their children”. These children are not receiving the correct messages of others because they are getting no adult guidance at home and what is taught in school most likely is forgotten when they hear certain conversations by the adults at home. “By preschool age, children begin to absorb stereotypes and attitudes about other ethnic/cultural groups from their family and the larger society” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). To this day I wish I would have been able to put aside some of my feelings and biases and break down the wall that stood between us. Since then I have had my share of parents that have rejected communication with me, and some that have come through slowly but made it, and I’m sure these encounters won’t be my last. But I will say I am a firm believer in parent interaction and participation in their child’s educational path in order for success and I will always try my best to make their journey a team effort between all of us.

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).

Observing Communication

It just so happens that last weekend I was visiting friends and a question was asked by a little girl that was at their house, and because of the nature of the question I thought it would be perfect for this assignment. The friends that I was visiting were two married men that had just adopted a baby girl. There were a few other friends that I knew and some that I did not, but we were all together to celebrate the new baby. One couple had a 4 year old girl named Ava who loved the baby and wanted to help anyway she could. Well, when it was time to feed baby Grace, one of the dad’s grabbed the bottle and started to give it to her. Without hesitation Ava stood up and said “wait, the mommy’s supposed to feed the baby. Where’s the mommy?” There was a bit of silence for a second, I don’t think the parent’s knew how to respond at that moment. Well one of Grace’s dad’s said to Ava, “Ava, some children don’t have mommies just like some children don’t have daddies; but there are some children that are lucky enough to have two mommies or two daddies”. She responded by saying, “wow they sure are lucky. So that means Grace is very lucky because she has two daddies right?  But I am lucky too because I have a mommy and a daddy right?” Ava’s dad spoke up right away and said, “Yes honey you are very lucky just like Grace. We can talk more at home, OK? Here’s your goldfish, do you want a snack?” You can tell they just wanted to gracefully end the conversation without having it go any further and continue on. 

I really liked how Grace’s dad spoke up since it seemed as if Ava’s parents were at a loss for words. I’ve actually come in contact with many parents that have confessed to me that they do not know how to respond to some of the questions their children ask them, especially when it is aimed toward any type of diversity or difference in race or ethnicity. I feel it is so important to be able to feel comfortable in speaking with your children regarding issues on diversity because they see so much, not just in school but all around them. Without the proper information they come up with their own conclusions or answers to questions they may have, and sometimes this can be harmful. You can tell that Ava was trying to make sense of being told Grace does not have a mommy, although at the end of her statements she kept asking “right?” as if she was trying to get some more information or validation that she was correct in her thinking.

I would have loved to have seen more interaction between Ava and her parents in this situation. I think they were more embarrassed than anything from her comment and didn’t know how to respond without offending anyone. I was interested in how Ava was really comprehending what she was told and what she had seen for the first time and would have been curious to see what she would have said if she was asked more questions on the issue and other questions she would have for the daddies. Dangel and Durden (2010) state that “questions that promotes children’s thinking require children to think beyond one-word responses to make connections, compare, and hypothesize.”  I almost wanted to be a fly on the wall at their home in order to see what the conversation would be like if and when she brought this topic up again at home. The importance in listening to children when they speak is crucial in order to really understand what it is they are saying and what it is they are really trying to get across and comprehend themselves. I liked what Stephenson (2009) said about listening when she spoke about the strategies she used in speaking to children;  she said “listening is paramount” and she found that how she listened governed what she heard. Stephenson (2009) also said that “when I consciously stepped back from the interaction,  from my own expectations of what I might hear, and listened with an attitude of respect, with openness, and in the anticipation that I might hear answers to questions that have not been asked, I was sometimes rewarded with insights”.  I feel that the rewards can be endless when we truly listen and respect what it is children say. Stepping back, as explained by Stephenson (2009) is a great way to “consider conversations from other perspectives, relinquish your own narrow agenda, and allow you to hear other messages”.

References

Rainer Dangel, J., & Durden, T. R. (2010). The nature of teacher talk during small group activities. YC: Young Children, 65(1), 74-81. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database. http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=47964033&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Stephenson, A. (2009). Conversations with a 2-year-old. YC: Young Children, 64(2), 90-95. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database. http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=37131016&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Creating Affirming Environments

Being a child care director I have had the opportunity to put together a center but using the materials that were bought for me by my superiors. Not having the chance to purchase the items that I thought were necessary for the classrooms was a disappointment and I knew we were missing some key items. Getting the chance now to think how I would design a Home Center gives me that opportunity to list the items that I knew were missing from my own school’s first purchase. Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2010, p. 43) states “an environment rich in anti-bias materials invites exploration and discovery and supports children’s play and conversations in both emergent and planned activities”. I feel that not only can conversations be built by children between their teachers and other children but also between the children and their parents which is very important as well.

My center will have many areas for exploration and discovery such as a dramatic play/dress up, kitchen, library/quiet area, art/sensory, building/blocks, and a manipulative/puzzle area. I feel many different areas gives children options and a chance to accomplish what it is they want to do at that time. Throughout all of these areas of the center will be pictures of them, whether it be playing and working together with a friend or working alone on a project. My students always love seeing themselves on the walls and always point them out to parents or family when they come into the classroom. Again, this gives the children and families another chance to communicate about school and their achievements. Along with pictures of the students will be pictures of our families so the children can feel the sense of home when at school by seeing their families with them daily. I would have parents bring in pictures of all kinds, not just of family photos but pictures that have meaning in the respect of their culture and items that are important to their family. All children apart of the center them gets the chance to learn about the cultures of their friends and the differences and similarities of us all. “In programs the serve the children whose lives are too often made invisible by the dominant culture (children of color, children from poor families, etc.), plentiful images of themselves, their families, and their communities- in all of their diversity- help to counter the harm of invisibility” (Derman-Sparks and Edwards, 2010, p. 44). I enjoyed the “family share area” that Adriana Castillo (Laureate Education, 2010) incorporated into her home center that allowed families to share with everyone a part of their culture. This also gives the children a confidence seeing a part of their family when they walk into school every day and a chance for them to share with their friends why they are proud of whom they are.   

The materials that occupy these certain areas will show the diversity of our whole school and not just focus on one culture and will have many different themes incorporated based on our themes according to the curriculum. Within all books, dolls, puzzles, clothes, paint colors and paper, food, and learning games all ethnicities will be apparent so no one has the chance to feel invisible. According to Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2010, pg. 44) “one of the best  tools you can have for anti-bias work is a camera, which will permit you to make books, posters, class bulletin boards, and learning materials specific to the families and children in your program”. This also pertains to what I was saying earlier about having pictures up around the classroom for all to enjoy throughout the day. I noticed one of the games that was introduced to us during Adriana’s tour (Laureate Education, 2010) showed individuals of many different ethnicities as well as the puzzle that was on the shelf.

I have come to the realization throughout my years of working with children that it does not become easier watching a crying child separate from their mom or dad in the mornings. I loved Adriana’s idea of the “nap room” which gives the children who are having a hard time saying goodbye in the morning a chance to express their feelings and emotions and get themselves together in a sense in order to learn and grow during the day while at school (Laureate Education, 2010). She provides a comfy couch and pillows along with a song that they sing once they have made it through the second step of trying to calm down. This sounds like it would be a great are for those children that need a few extra minutes to get settled down in the morning before they join the group. I would also love for the parents to join our circle times or any other times throughout the day that they can in order to be a partner in their child’s learning and get to know the other families of other children in order to create a sense of community. “Relationships and interactions with children and families, the visual and material environment, and the daily curriculum all come together to create the anti-bias learning community” (Derman-Sparks and Edwards, 2010, p. 51).

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for working with diverse children: Welcome    to an anti-bias learning community. Baltimore, MD: Author

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).

Thank you & Farewell EDUC 6165

I have learned so much new knowledge about communication and collaboration, not just from this course imparticular but all my previous courses here at Walden as well. Listening to others, gathering new information, and exchanging ideas and thoughts have become a part of my life through the great discussions and blogs I have had a chance to read and respond to. Everyone has been so supportive and helpful in my journey through this course and all that have come before, and I thank you for that. We all have a passion for early childhood or we wouldn’t be here learning and educating ourselves in order to become the great professionals I know all of us strive to be. Many of you I have worked with throughout our core courses and some I have only begun to work with. As we move on to our specializations I hope to continue memorable blogs and discussions where we can continue to bring new ideas, share our opinions, and praise each other for a job well done. I hope some of you have received valuable information and knowledge from me through our exchanges as I have learned so much from all of you. I would love to keep in touch with all of you as we continue our journey in accomplishing our early childhood goals.

I wish everyone a bright and exciting future!

Adjourning

“In the adjourning stage the project is coming to an end and the team members are moving off into different directions” (Abudi, 2010). Saying goodbye to a group of people that you have worked with every day for an extended period of time is always hard. When you have a great relationship with each individual where you respect each other’s ideas, trust their opinions, and help each other to work toward a common goal that final separation is even harder. I feel when you have a group that is strong during the norming stage there is a closer bond in successfully achieving that goal you have worked so hard to accomplish. You can only hope to one day work with those individuals again, maybe not as a whole group but some individuals now and again and keep in touch for future projects and efforts.

I believe that even if your project was unsuccessful it is still important to adjourn and get together to see what the problem might have been. This is a great way to change things maybe for the future so certain mistakes are not made again. Even when unsuccessful you can still have great relationships with team members and have worked very well together. I remember leaving my grade level team when I made a move to a different state. I was there for 2 years with the same group of co-workers and we had great chemistry and worked so well together. We were able to put all of our individual ideas together to come up with amazing lessons for our students. On the last day of working with the group we got together, brought snacks and food and enjoyed each other’s company. Most of the time we talked about different situations, positive and negative, that have come up along the way and what could have been changed to make things run smoother. Endings can be said but the adventure always continues.

I have learned so much from all of the colleagues I have worked with throughout these past months here at Walden. Through our challenges and experiences I feel we have gained so much knowledge about each other and the field of early childhood. Even though we have worked in all different fields of education we all have similar experiences and thoughts to share in certain situations. It’s nice to feel that people support you in your goal and respect your beliefs and ideas.

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

Conflicts & Non Violent Communication

A supportive climate while being responsive and respectful in my experience has worked to decrease and manage conflicts in my school. Being a Director I am often in a position to mediate between parents, teachers and parents, as well as between children. I always try to be supportive of the teachers and the parents and understand exactly how they are feeling as well as what it is they need and what their expectations are. I feel this helps in all parties so that all feel respected and there is effective communication going on. Most of the time the misunderstanding occurs when the individuals involved do not understand where the other person is coming from and don’t try to put themselves into their shoes. When we can agree that what we all want is a positive outcome, the conflict typically gets resolved and we can all gain a greater understanding of one another.

I am currently not in conflict with anyone but recently had the opportunity to help work through a conflict between two of my teachers. I was approached one day from my teacher Sandy that was upset with her co-teacher Pam who was being very short and abrupt with her for 2 days now and was brushing off a classroom incident that needed to be discussed. It is so important for the students to see their teachers getting along and respecting each other so they can learn the correct way to communicate. When I heard this I knew that these teachers were going to need some guidance to resolve whatever was causing their teaching relationship to go downhill. I had the chance to speak with Pam to see what might be causing this unusual behavior for her and knew that my attentive listening skills would help to understand her feelings and/or concerns. It just so happened that Pam’s husband had just got laid off, her car was in the shop and needed to rely on rides for the past few days, and her son had not been feeling well yesterday and was worried about him. After hearing Pam explain her very stressful start of the week I understood why her behavior and demeanor has been off, but unlike what Sandy thought it had nothing to do with her in general. I explained to Sandy that Pam has had many unfortunate personal circumstances that are causing much stress on her lately, and because Pam does not have a husband or family to take care of she never thought something at home would be wrong but automatically thought it was her. I advised Sandy that when Pam seemed to be overwhelmed during the day to ask her “How can I help you?” Sandy wanted to help in their communication problems lately and wanted to be more supportive of Pam and what she had to deal with in her personal life so when the three of us got together we thought it would be effective for the two of them to have a small meeting in the morning to share each other’s priorities. I had said to Sally to remember not to jump to any negative conclusions right away but to think in a positive perspective and try to sit back and understand what may be causing any off behaviors in her co-teacher. There always needs to be a mutual understanding in the classroom between teachers in order to be productive and respected.

I had followed up with them a few days after our discussion and they were on their way to working out any issues in the classroom between themselves always searching for a mutual agreement where both of them are happy with the outcome. My co-workers have learned to be mindful and respectful of others and try not to jump to conclusions without getting all the information first. My teachers know that effective communication is important in the classroom and important to demonstrate for their students. I can only see that bringing in more of the NVC fundamentals and the 3R’s perspective on communication can only help our school become a strong, caring, and respected community of educational professionals.

“Through its emphasis on deep listening—to ourselves as well as others—NVC fosters respect, attentiveness and empathy, and engenders a mutual desire to give from the heart” (www.cncv.org).

The Center for Nonviolent Communication. (n.d.). The center for nonviolent communication.      

 Retrieved from http://www.cnvc.org/

Evaluations as a Communicator

One of the differences that surprised me the most regarding the communication evaluations was that they perceived me to be more confident in myself than I actually did. The one thing that I try to work on every day in my life is gaining more self-confidence which leads to confidence in all other aspects of my life. When speaking about a topic that I am very passionate about of course I am going to have more confidence in what I say and how I present myself. Although, there will always be a part inside of me that doubts what I say and hopes that the other person can follow what it is I am saying without confusion and disarray. One of the individuals that I had fill out the evaluations was one of my staff members from my school. I thought it would be interesting to see how she felt about my communication skills since she sees them in action on a daily basis and of course when conducting staff meetings. I guess on the outside I have a tendency to come across cool and collected when speaking to staff one on one and as a small group during meetings. Since I have been working with my staff for some time I am more comfortable speaking in front of them but the uneasiness still lingers now and again. In essence the fact that I come across as more confident to others is a good thing, but the fact that I don’t have the same confidence in myself could present itself as a challenge in my continuing communication skills.

I believe I had posted before about technology taking over much of our communication during the day, whether it is through texts, emails, Facebook, tweets, instagram etc. “In blogs, in chat rooms, and on dating and social networking sites, the presentation of self can be more controlled than in face-to-face encounters (O’Hair & Wieman, 2012, pg. 58). I feel this can be harmful when you are truly faced with a conversation with someone on the other side of a computer or phone screen. Yes this can give you practice when it comes to communicating with someone but speaking face to face is different than speaking to someone over the computer. “Sherry Turkle, a technology researcher, notes that the online environment offers young people a virtual “identity workshop” where they can try on different identities with little risk (O’Hair & Wieman, 2012, pg. 60). I feel it is important that children today learn the importance and effective skills for communicating with individuals in person.

Self-monitoring is a phrase that I have heard throughout my courses here at Walden and is important when continuing your journey in the early childhood field in order to keep improving. O’Hair and Wieman (2012) have shown me the difference between high-self monitoring individuals and low-self monitoring individuals. I never knew there were two different types of people when self-monitoring. “Communicating successfully involves finding the appropriate level of self-monitoring for the situation and the people involved” (O’Hair & Wieman, 2012, pg. 56).

 O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Communicating Effectively

I have come to realize that I do speak to individuals differently depending on if they are good friends or family, people I work with or people that are from different cultures that I am not familiar with. When communicating with friends and family I am very comfortable and knowledgeable about certain topics and situations that are going on in their lives. When knowing this you are able to give more advice, know when they want your opinion and know just when to listen to what they are saying. I feel that is also how I speak to my staff members because we do have close relationships.  Sometimes when I am around co-workers or especially a boss my comfort level decreases and I tend to be a little more anxious. With this I have a tendency to be less talkative and don’t often give my opinion. If I am speaking with individuals that are from a different culture and I am unfamiliar with their traditions and beliefs I do a lot of listening to become more knowledgeable but also I have a tendency to speak slower because I want them to understand what I was saying. I could probably also say that I speak slower to elderly individuals as well as a little louder to make sure they could hear me.

I do believe that one strategy that is always effective in communication is listening. Listening to someone really shows your genuine concern and care for what they are saying. This is also important for you to receive the correct information in order to help them effectively.

Even though I say listening is a great communication skill to have, there are times when I am speaking to my friends and family or even my staff members and I have a hard time stopping myself from talking and giving them a chance to speak. This happens for me when I am speaking about something that I am passionate about, and usually teaching and children is a topic I can’t stop talking about.  So I would say that my second strategy would be let other individuals speak and have their chance to get in on the conversation and share their thoughts and opinions.

A third strategy that I believe is important is be cautious of non-verbal cues. Much of a conversation is made up of non-verbal cues such as eye contact, facial expressions, hand gesture, and even tone of voice. I have been told that I make certain facial expressions when speaking that I myself don’t even realize half the time. I need to be more aware of this because it could give off the wrong message as to how I feel about a certain topic. It is also important to be aware of non-verbal cues when speaking to individuals of other cultures. “Nonverbal communication is highly influenced by culture, and what mya be an innocent gesture in one group, context, region, or county can convey a different and possibly offensive message elsewhere” (O’Hair & Wieman, 2012).Comm

 O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Communication Assumptions

This assignment was harder than I had first anticipated. Not having sound and actually hearing what the actors were saying was difficult to follow the story line and understand the plot of the show. I picked a T.V. show that I have heard of but was never keen on watching. Not knowing what the show was even about made it even more of a struggle to know what was going on. In one scene of the show I picked up on many facial expressions of the man, which I took to be of worry, when speaking to what I thought was his daughter. I also assumed that they were speaking about a boy she might be involved with by the look on her face and the smile she wore when speaking. A lady walked into the conversation and put a hand on her shoulder while giving her a big smile. This made me think it may be either her mother or grandmother; it was actually hard to tell. When I did get to hear this part of the show with sound, I was right about it being a father daughter relationship, but when I thought they were speaking about a possible boyfriend they were actually talking about a secret admirer she had. Those facial expressions I noticed in the father were more of a criticism tone than worry which is what I had originally assumed. Also with the sound I was corrected when realizing the lady in the scene was the grandmother and not the mother.

In another scene I made sense of the father being a detective and walking to a crime scene with his partner. When they were standing over the scene the look in the father’s eyes and the stare in his face when seeing the body made me think he had known this woman. When watching with the sound I came to realize that the father had an epiphany when seeing the girl thinking it could be the work of a killer that he came in contact with on another case four years ago. I was wrong about him knowing the girl and this assumption put the whole series going in a different direction for me when watching without the sound.

Not being able to listen to what the individuals were actually saying in the T.V. series I watched made it very difficult for me to follow what I was watching and the relationships in the show. I didn't think this would be so challenging for me until I actually had to accomplish the task. I do think that my assumptions would have been more on target watching a show I knew very well. I would have already known the relationships of the actors which I think would have put me a step ahead anyway. Knowing what the show was about and the overall demeanor of the actors would also allow me to become more familiar with the conversations had between characters. 

Demonstrating Competent Communication Skills

The person that I chose for this assignment was my educational trainer who taught me everything I know about being a director. She had amazing communication skills and always knew the correct words to use in order for you to really understand what she was saying. She always had strong eye contact and was confident in the way she spoke and with the information she was relaying to you. You could tell this confidence just by the way she stood in front of you or how she sat in her chair. She was very logical and approachable, and you knew you would be receiving the correct answers and if she didn't have the answers she would try her hardest to obtain them for you and then some. Listening was one of her finest traits and I strive to have that quality within myself.

I work every day to build myself up to the communicator that my educational trainer is. I still communicate with her today if I need some pointers, tips, or just someone to listen to me rant. There are times when I still struggle in getting my entire point across the way I want, but I work on it every chance I get. Having the opportunity to have worked with my trainer has given me the confidence to work toward being a better communicator, especially with my staff and parents. 

Professional Hopes & Goals

I hope that through my newly gained knowledge of diversity and the effects of prejudice and discrimination on individuals from outside the dominant culture, I will be better equipped to help families in my center and make them feel welcomed and accepted. Students will feel accepted without the fear of judgment by their classmates and work together to make a unified classroom. I hope that I can express to my teachers the importance of anti-bias education, why it needs to be done, and the great achievements to be made.

My goal for early childhood education is for all teachers and professionals to self-reflect on their own biases and judgments of others to be able to effectively teach and support the diverse students they are working with. Classrooms should be equipped with materials to accommodate and celebrate children of all backgrounds and ethnicities. I know there are early childhood centers that are making strides towards the progression of anti-bias education, but it need to reach all of them not just some.

This has been one of my favorite courses I have taken so far at Walden. I have learned so much from all of my colleagues, about cultures, how we interpret the idea of diversity, and how we've come to realize who we are today. Throughout this course I have come to realize more about whom I am as a person and who I want to strive to be in the field of early childhood. I love learning about other cultures and ethnicities, to me it is so interesting to learn about ideas, beliefs and traditions other than what I am used to seeing and hearing. This will only help in my goal of achieving acceptance for all. The more knowledge I have about other cultures, the better I am to help families in my center and where ever my career takes me.  I thank all of my wonderful colleagues for sharing their information and experiences with me throughout this course. I have learned so much from everyone and wish you all the best moving forward in the Master’s program and in your careers as EC professionals.

Welcoming Families From Around the World

As a child care director I feel it is so important to know the children and families before they start attending your center. In order to properly teach and care for their child there are many aspects of their family life, child behaviors and characteristics that need to be known. Reading the fact that was shared with us that the U.S. population includes families from 150 different countries I would love to include a section in our center newsletter where we highlight a particular country. This way the other families that attend our center can also become aware and knowledgeable of the different countries our country populates. Not just the teachers and staff members in the center should be knowledgeable of the diversity in our school, but the families should also get to know the other family cultures that exist in their child’s daily life. This is an opportunity for everyone to become more culturally aware and diverse.

The family that will be joining our center is from the country of Guyana. In order to familiarize myself with the culture, beliefs, religions, and languages spoken in Guyana I would love to be able to make a home visit to learn the behaviors and characteristics of this particular family. It would be important to learn their religion in order to accommodate their beliefs inside the child’s classroom and if they have any days of observance that they will be absent from school. In order to communicate with the family in their native language I would learn some of the basic words needed to speak to the child and family in certain circumstances, based on how much English they knew. Their native language would also need to be known in case an interpreter needs to be found. It would be important for me to also learn what family members I will be in contact with on a daily basis, whether it is at pick up or drop off time. Learning that family is very important to the Guyanese culture, I know that there will be members of the extended family that I may see every day. The child’s teacher will also need to be aware of the individuals that belong to the child’s family, and the information that can be shared with the family members. Males have more power than the women in Guyana, so I would want to be aware of the roles the parents take on in their child’s life and education and with whom important information needs to be shared with.  Also learning that the children have more responsibility in the family and when old enough do odd jobs around the house, I would like to know what the child is involved in within the family and their strengths and weaknesses. 

All staff members, not just the child’s teacher should be knowledgeable of the families that enter the school and so a notice will be given to all staff members introducing them to the country and culture of Guyana as well as the basic words needed to learn in order to communicate with the family. This way all members become more culturally diverse by learning about all the different countries our school populates. I would make sure that the child’s classroom provides a welcoming atmosphere for the child and family and where the classroom represents their culture in certain aspects (ie. Pictures, words, books etc). I would want the family to know that our center respects their culture and beliefs and feels a sense of comfort when leaving their child in my care. The child should know they will not be judged for being different than other students and that they will be welcomed and cared for. I would also want the family to fill out a welcome packet that includes questions specific to their family and information that needs to be known to properly care for their child. I would want the parents to think about what our center staff should know about their family in order to meet their needs. This information will be shared with all members that will be involved in this child’s education.

All this preparation made will hopefully help myself and my staff to be more aware of this particular family’s needs and characteristics. I want the family to see that we take the education of children very seriously in our center and that we welcome families of all cultures and accept the diversity of others. Coming to the U.S. for the first time and being away from what has been familiar to them can be a shock and cause negative feelings. We want to provide a family atmosphere where there are positive experiences for all involved.  I would want the family to feel comfortable speaking to myself and the staff in regards to any questions and concerns they may have. I want no one to feel left out or in the dark about procedures and the curriculum we possess in the center, so open communication is important.

http://www.ncolonie.com/ESL/Guyana%20Culture.html

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

When ageism was brought up during this course I immediately thought about a situation that I came across working at my last child care center. We had a staff member named Grandma Cookie that used to work and float in every classroom we had in the center for a few hours every day. She was a wonderful retired school teacher in her late 70’s that brought a smile to all the children’s faces. Due to safety issues Grandma Cookie was never left in a classroom by herself and always had a teacher working with her. While she was in the classrooms she would tell the children stories, help with projects, read them books, and most of all gave all the children love and care like they deserved. While I was sitting in my office one day I had a parent come in with a concern she’s been meaning to discuss with me. She proceeded to tell me that Grandma Cookie is too old to be working here, that it’s not safe for her or the children due to her age and does not want her working in her daughter’s classroom. She continued by announcing that she is retired and should be home gardening or knitting blankets. I was so taken back by her comments that at first I didn't know what to say. She also told me that she had been speaking to other parent’s and they feel the same way and that they will be speaking to me as well. I addressed this parent by relaying to her all of the wonderful things Grandma Cookie has done for this school as well as every single child that attends the school. I tried to speak about her age in regards to the fact that she is always working with another teacher and for her safety as well as all others she is not left alone with the children.  I pretty much tried to explain to her that she enjoys her time here and chooses to continue to work with children as she had done for many years prior. She has many years of experience and the teachers love to hear how teaching was for her when she first started and the challenges that she had to face. After spending quite some time trying to get this parent to realize the joy Grandma Cookie brings to the school and the children she works with on a daily basis, she still was adamant in believing she belongs at home and not working anymore.

The question that I had in the back of my mind during this conversation was….Are you saying that all adults who are retired and in their 70’s and 80’s can’t work a part time job and still be involved in the workforce? If there are individuals that believe they cannot work nor shouldn't they quite possibly could be taking away a person’s happiness and drive to get through the day. What I didn't share with the parent because I didn't feel that she needed to know all about Grandma Cookie’s personal life is that she is all alone. Her husband had passed away a few years before and unfortunately she does not have a relationship with her one son anymore, so this was her enjoyment she had in life, working with the children is what kept her going. Why should I take that away from her? Individuals need to realize that older adults still have lives and just like Grandma Cookie she strives on helping others and knowing she can give those children the love they need. There are so many stereotypes against older adults and if we continue to have the view that they are frail and old and should be confined to a house all day, we are depriving adults the chance to be happy. Who are we to decide how senior citizens choose to live the last few years here on earth they have?

This parent and the others that complained about Grandma Cookie are not treating her as an equal. Just because she is older this parent thought she knew what was best for Grandma Cookie and didn't agree with how she chose to live her life. Yes, there may be older individuals that need to be confined to a house because of health issues but there are many more that are independent and choose to be involved in the workforce until their health does get in the way. I do want to mention I did have parents praise me for having employed Grandma Cookie and loved that she is involved in their child’s days at the center. Sometimes it’s Grandma Cookie that is the topic of conversation at many dinner tables, according to a few parents.

Awareness of Microaggressions

I observed a racial micro-aggression that involved a micro-insult this week while I was observing an accident that had just occurred outside my house. After I heard the accident I had went outside to see what had happened and to make sure everyone was alright. After a few moments some other people had come down the block and outside of the surrounding homes to see what had happened as well. Well as I was standing there with a few other acquaintances from the block an older man (a Caucasian man) came up next to us and said… “It doesn't surprise me it was an Indian that caused the accident, they can’t drive”. I looked next to me at my friend with a stunned look on my face; I couldn't believe he had just said that. He had just implied that all Indian people can’t drive because in this particular crash an Indian person did cause the accident. He had just made the assumption, he didn't even know if it could have been a malfunction to his car that caused the crash. Why was he making this assumption? How did he come to this conclusion? Does he just have something against Indian people? If so, why? These were the questions that were running through my head. I probably would have asked him if he hadn't walked away by the time I had turned around from looking at my friend.

This situation really made me wonder where people get these stereotypes they blurt out. How did all these assumptions and stereotypes of other people of different cultures, meaning different from the dominant culture, come about? It just makes me mad to hear people talk of others in a negative way when they don’t know the person at all. How can they make these sorts of judgments when they don’t even know these individuals on any sort of level? As you can see I have many questions and get upset when I hear individuals make negative remarks against others. I am not racists nor do I judge others for being different than myself. I often wonder how others come to believe these negative assumptions of others. If others choose to believe these stereotypes and see others as below them then we will never end this cycle of micro-aggressions and biases of others. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

With everything that I have learned so far in this course about culture and diversity, I was very curious to hear what others would have to say about these topics. Honestly, before I took this course this is something that would take me a minute to talk about so I could gather my thoughts. I think culture and diversity is something we come in contact with on a daily basis but not topics we tend to talk about all the time. Or maybe I should say they are topics that hit us in the face but not something we think deeply about. Each one of the people I contacted was different in their age, religion, and ethnicity. One of my friends I had to email and when I received her response I really enjoyed reading it and how she viewed culture and diversity. I wanted to share the email and her response to everyone. Here it is:

“When I think of "culture" I visualize different races, their customs and beliefs.  My family is of Italian descent and examples of our culture are large Sunday family dinners consisting of macaroni and gravy, loud conversations that may appear to others as arguing, and a lot of affection and love.  I live in a neighborhood which is primarily occupied by those of Indian descent.  I enjoy observing their culture.  I see women who are attentive mothers and wives. Women who seem to be more passive than American women and men who work hard to provide for their families. Their dress, their cooking, religion and their language are all part of their culture. “

“Diversity is the differences in our cultures.  Diversity, in the recent years, has become a word synonymous with "tolerance for differences in people."  I am a strong proponent of loving people for who they are, and not judging on cultural differences.  I believe that you can learn from, teach and love people from all walks of life.”

I love the example she gave of her loud conversations with her family and how it could be seen by others as arguing. Without knowing her family and her culture it is impossible to know that is normal conversation to them and nothing is wrong. This is why I feel it is so important to take the time to get to know others that are different, inquire about their culture and ask questions. We will never know anything unless questions are asked. Someone could go their whole life thinking this family hated one another because they assumed what they heard was arguing.

The other two people involved in this assignment gave an answer about culture and diversity that were very similar. They defined culture as the traditions people hold, how they celebrate holidays and which ones they do, where they come from, meaning race and ethnicity and the language they speak. They spoke about diversity as the differences between people and how we come together and accept everyone. I received the old saying “we all put our pants on one leg at a time” which I think fits pretty well. They both also said they wouldn’t live their lives as certain people chose to, but they respect them and accept them for who they are.  

I got the impression that we still think a lot about surface culture when asked how you define culture. We instantly think about the holidays people celebrate and the language they speak, as did two of the people I spoke to instantly said. We don’t tend to see deep culture because we don’t take the time to see that far into people’s lives and families.  I agree with the last sentence written by my friend in her email, “I believe that you can learn from, teach and love people from all walks of life”. I just don’t think we take the time to learn from others and dig deeper into the lives of others to expand our knowledge of the diversity and cultures around us. 

My Family Culture

There are so many items from my childhood growing up that I keep dear to my heart and are a part of my German heritage. Three small items that I treasure are my Christkind ornament, a Hummel, and a harmonica. The Christkind ornament is a Christmas ornament that my family has always included on their tree. She is a fairy like being dressed in gold and white robes and wears a crown upon her golden hair. In most German speaking countries she is the bearer of gifts, just like Santa Clause is to the children here in the United States. Gifts are exchanged on December 24^th, delivered by the Christkind who leaves gifts under the Christmas tree and disappears before the children can see her. Hummels are porcelain figurines originated in Germany in the 1930’s based on the sketch art of Sister Maria. The hummel that I have is a little girl holding a basket of flowers that was passed down to me from my mother, which was given to her by my Oma from Germany. My harmonica is pretty self explanatory; its silver, very old, made in Germany, and was my fathers.

Growing up I never usually saw my extended family but on holidays, such as Christmas. Christmas was always a time that brought me great happiness and I always treasured the traditions we had growing up. As I stated in the previous description of the Christkind, gifts come on Christmas Eve as did our tree in my house. We very much followed my father’s German tradition for Christmas as my mother celebrated the same way. My fondest memories as a child was going to bed on Christmas Eve evening and being wakened by my mother later that night to walk down the stairs and be amazed by what I saw in front of me, an amazingly decorated Christmas tree and presents galore. Of course I knew about Santa Clause and even left him milk and cookies, but I always knew of the Christkind and somehow believed in both as a child. The Christkind ornament brings me back to great memories I had during Christmas and the wonderful stories and traditions my father brought into the house.

My mother had started collecting Hummels after she visited my father’s family in Germany for the first time. My Oma was a huge collector, and on my parent’s last trip before I was born she gave my mom one to take home. Up to this point my mom had my two brothers and had always wished for a girl. The hummel, which was a little girl was supposed to be a symbol of what was to come. When my parent’s got back from that trip to Germany my mom found out she was pregnant with me, 12 years after she had had my younger brother. My mother always treasured the hummel, and a few years ago she gave it to me in hopes that one day I will have a girl of my own.

My father and I always had a connection to music when I was younger. He hardly ever spoke to me in German, but he would sing to me in German to teach me certain words and phrases. My father plays many instruments, such as the guitar and accordion, but the one that intrigued me the most was his harmonica. He had so many that he brought with him to Germany, but one shiny silver one always stood out to me. This was the one he would let me use when I was little and wanted to try. Two years ago for Christmas he gave me that very shiny silver harmonica. I have it displayed in my house and every time I look at it I remember the great times I had with my father listening to him play.

I would be crushed if I was only allowed one of these items to come with me. It was hard enough to just choose these three. It would have to think even deeper into my thoughts about my culture and what is most dear to me. I would try to think about what would give me the happiest memories about my childhood and that shows my pride regarding my culture.

This assignment has brought me back to my childhood and the ways in which my culture has shaped the way I live my life and the thoughts about diversity. I would not consider my life as to be part of the dominant culture and I know what it is like to be looked at differently. I hope my work so far and the work I tend to do in the field of early childhood shows children just how special they are even if they are not like everyone else. Our differences make us unique and showed be something to be proud of.