Professional Hopes and Goals

Professional Hopes and Goals

By

Anita L. Coles

One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is to teach the children with compassion and eagerness using techniques in which the children are accustom; Not only having the desire to teach but to also learn from the families; Modeling self -respect and self-worth.; and last but certainly not least, building positive parent/teacher relationships.

One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice to design a nationwide adopted model on techniques of working with families of diverse backgrounds. This particular model would provide techniques concerning methods on welcoming and respecting diverse families minus making the families feel as if they are on display because of their differences. By using this particular model, we as teachers/educators; students; parents of student; communities; political figures, and individuals throughout the world shall learn and understand the importance of equality and justice is for all mankind and not just for a selective few (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010, p. 56).

In other words, I would like one day in the very near future, to help design a plan that will recognize and acknowledge our differences without the general feelings of comfortableness and awkwardness while doing so.

                    

 

Thank-you All

 

I would like to take this time out to thank each and every one of my colleagues. I may not have gotten around to responding to everyone’s’ discussion posts and or blogs but I did read them and each one did inspire me…thank-you all very much, I hope that I was able to have done the same.

I wish you all the best in your continuing journey of teaching and learning -–again thank-you!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                  Reference

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

    Education for young children and ourselves: National

     Association for the Education of Young Children.

      Washington DC.

Welcoming Families From Around the World

Welcoming Families From Around the World

By

Anita L. Coles

A family from Poland plans to enroll their child Artur in our child care learning facility. Until this year, the family has never traveled outside of Europe. Therefore, I believe that making this family feel welcome and most of all wanted, is the childcare staff‘s top priority.  To try to help Artur feel welcome and comfortable while in our facilities; and until I can meet with Artur’s family for specifics, I will take the initiative and provide the following:

1.    The facility has a journal/book that we have the parents fill out when they child first begin the center. This particular book is called “Tell us about (The child’s name).” The book has specific questions  such as; what name does your child like to be called ; in trying to help your child free comfortable especially during the “getting use to us period,” whom would  your child feel the most comfortable with male or female; what are some of your child’s favorite foods…

2.  Provide the family with the Childcare’s Parent Handbook in the language that the family will understand.

3.  Prior to the first meeting, have the family record and   bring with them any questions; concerns, or request that they may have. Review with the family each question; concern; and or request. Be prepared to either have answers for their questions; provide insights to their concerns; information regarding the center’s policies and procedures.

 

4.  Collect as provide important contact information.

5.  Make sure that the family is aware of as well as understand that the childcare center has an “open door policy.”

 

I believe that these preparations will benefit both the family and our staff. By meeting with the family and having the family tells us about their interest and cultural preferences can help eliminate taking anything for granted. We do not want to assume what interest families coming from another country are.

By asking the family what their interest are including cultural interest, in my opinion, shows respect; compassion, and a sense of welcome. I believe that it is equally important for the families to become aware of the child care center’s policies and procedures. The center is a place of business and the family expects excellent care services (as should be), therefore both the family and the service providers shall have a clear understanding of all services that will be provided.  

 

Reference

Kingsley, P. (2011). New Europe: the life of a Polish family.

      The Guardian.  

 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

By

Anita L. Coles

I grew up in a state where the majority of the people were prejudice. However, unless one knew what to look for regarding prejudice one might miss the little subtle signs, for example, many years ago, a situation took place in high school during gym class (now call PE).

During some of our gym exercises the girls would need to hold hands. (There were only two Blacks in our gym class, me and another girl) This particular Caucasian girl (back in the day the girl and boy gym classes where separate) would hold out her pinky finger to me and she would tell me “no I am not holding your hand; give me your ‘baby’ finger,” and that was the extent of our holding hands. Sad part was that the teachers would allow (Taylor, 2011) . 

As I stated before, I have encountered many of such as above mentioned; there are some that I have forgotten; I would need to think really hard to remember, and then there are some that are hard to forget. The next one was when I was working in a factory I was still quite young and had not experience adult individuals being prejudice toward me. A few days after starting work, an older Caucasian male told me that he did not want to work with me because I was “Colored.”  My response to this  particular gentleman was that that was his problem not mine, and as long as he did not hit me or use any derogatory  words  towards me…everything would be fine (Less than six months were became very good friends).  (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010, p. 24).

        When my family and I moved to New Mexico I was sure life would be different as far as experiencing prejudice and so forth.  I thought that all people of color experience the same things. Well I was wrong, I learned that prejudices comes in many forms and is the product many of oppressed situations. I was doing my monthly grocery shopping. The individual who was my cashier was Caucasian male; he totaled my account to be a little over $200.00. I than realized that I had left my “card” in my car, I informed the cashier that I would need to run to my car to retrieve my card.

        The casher told me that he would wait until I returned. I ran to my car found my card; grabbed my card and run back to the cashier. When I went to hand the cashier my card, I noticed that my groceries dollar amount had changed considerably; it went from over $200.00, to  almost half the amount; just as I was about to ask him why the amount changed he noticed my card and quickly hit the cash register keys to change back to the $200.00.

        Then it hit me, he thought (or better yet, assumed) that I meant that I was going to get a “Food Stamp Card.” (EBT card)  Once he realized his mistake he turned redder than a beet, he sheepishly apologized, and tried really hard to quickly bag my groceries. I did mention to him that he may not want to prejudge the next individual before first gathering all facts there were other people waiting to check out behind me, each smiled and nodded their heads in agreement (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010, p. 26).

        To be honest, I felt a little sorry for the young man because he truly displayed prejudgment. I am sure had I not been a person of color he would have expected the card to have been “Visa,”   MasterCard,” or something similar.  As an educator, I really saw this as an opportunity to help a young man understand how prejudice can work, and if he wanted to, he could use the situation as an opportunity as well to learn a valuable lesson (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010, p. 21).

        We all have our own bias; prejudices; and maybe even oppress a person or two; I know I have my and am trying to understand and work my way through them.  Dealing with the girl in my gym class, the man at the factory, and the young cashier reminds me that we are not perfect and before I can work on someone’s bias; prejudices; and creating the act of oppression I first need to understand and work on my own (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010, p. 23).  

 

 

 

 

Reference

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

        young children. The National Association for the Education of

         Young Children; Library of Congress Number 2009938138

        ISBN: 978-1-928896-67-8 NAEYC item# 254.