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