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.
Kristin
ReplyDeleteIt is very important for educators to reflect on who they are and their biases that they hold. I have enjoyed working with you again and I agree that this is one of my favorite courses. I will admit in the beginning I was nervous about the course so for it to end up being one of my favorites its a great plus!
Hi Kristin,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Samantha that the class was better than I thought. I especially liked hearing everyone's stories including yours. Thank you! It sounds like you are on fire to improve your center! Did you start off as a teacher at this center?
Liz Thomas
Hi Kristin,
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is one of my favorite courses. We did take a similar class for our Bachelor's degree. I live in a very diverse city and appreciate that fact. I learn everyday something new that I shall store in my memory bank for future use. Great having class with you again. Good luck in future courses.