One hope that I have when thinking about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is that I may always be open, respectful, and welcoming. This course has taught me to be reflective of my interactions with others and how I project myself.
One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to encourage all early childhood professionals to explore their own social identities, cultures, and potential biases so that we may understand how differences can cause unintended discrimination, but they do not have to. I would like to take a moment to thank my colleagues in this course for the honest, open, and authentic communication which we shared. This course has been a journey of discovery in many ways, and I believe that we supported each other through it by telling our own stories, as well as offering encouragement, support, differing perspectives, and understanding. Thank you!
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For this assignment my family’s country of origin is Ghana and I envision their entry into a preschool setting.
Although many other languages are spoken in Ghana, English is the official language (50 Interesting Facts, n.d.). If possible, I would try to learn which language other than English the family speaks so that I may make an effort to accommodate communication in another language, translate important documents if necessary, and ensure that the classroom includes print in that particular language. Although it seems that preschool is a growing movement in Ghana, historically children begin school with two years of Kindergarten (Education in Ghana, n.d.). Additionally, it is reported that young children are constantly with their mothers and/or extended family (Ghana, n.d.). Although the nuclear family is becoming more common, the traditional family unit is based on many different variations of the extended family. Young children are given lots of affection and are indulged and early discipline is relaxed (Culture of Ghana, n.d.). In order to prepare for the child and family I would first discuss these factors with any other staff who may work with the family so that they may have an understanding of what type of adult-child interactions the child may be accustomed to, as well as the fact that the child may be unaccustomed to being away from her mother or in a the school setting. It would be important to offer the child as much comfort and support as possible and perhaps encourage her to talk about her family. It is important for children’s sense of self and belonging to see things in their classroom that reflect themselves and their lives. In order for the child to feel as comfortable as possible n the classroom, I would print photos of people from Ghana, children and families, as well as some photos of the various landscapes and traditional homes, as well as major landmarks. I would also make sure to have some music and children’s songs of Ghana so that the child may hopefully hear familiar music. According to the website Countries and Their Cultures (n.d.), the people of Ghana place great emphasis on politeness and formality. It is said that upon meeting, acquaintances must shake each other’s hands and ask about each other’s health and family. The website also reports that it is considered rude to offer or take an object or to wave with the left hand. It would be important to educate all who will work with the family regarding these pieces of etiquette in order not to potentially seem rude toward the family. Finally, although the country has moved toward Christianity and Islam, which prohibit polygamy (marrying more than one wife), the practice is legal and was traditionally acceptable (50 Interesting Facts, n.d.). I believe that it would be important for our staff to discuss among ourselves how we feel about polygamy and explore any biases that we may have toward it which may influence or response to the family. This would be a dynamic which we are not likely familiar with and it would be very important for us to be able to accept the family unit without judgement if this were the case. It would be my hope that these preparations would help the child and family feel comfortable, welcome, and respected in their new environment, as well as set the stage for respectful partnership. References “50 Interesting facts about Ghana”. (2017). Retrieved from: http://thefactfile.org/ghana-facts/ “Culture of Ghana”. (n.d.). Retreived from: http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Ghana.html “Education in Ghana”. (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/education/ In the days following the March for Our Lives, in which people across the nation marched in support of gun regulations and safer schools, much was debated. The marchers represented the portion of the population who are calling for change in this era where we are in danger from mass shootings - in schools, in clubs, in churches, in movie theatres, on college campuses. Those opposed to the changes sought by those who protested have their own beliefs.
While we may debate these issues intelligently and peacefully, some have not. I was disgusted to read comments made by some online about Emma Gonzalez, a survivor of the February shooting who spoke at the March in Washington. The comments, which were hateful and prejudiced, came mostly from men. Rather than focus on Ms. Gonzalez experience as a survivor of the shooting, and a CHILD, the online trolls commented hatefully on the fact that she wore a patch of the Cuban flag on her jacket, and also about how she looked, and her sexual orientation. These comments were hateful, violent, and dangerous. They not only diminished the equity of Ms. Gonzalez as a person, they also invalidated her beliefs and silenced her voice by invalidating her as a person. The debate in the thread of the comments then became about Ms. Gonzalez, and not about the issue of gun control and safety. Reading the comments made me feel sick inside. It was very troubling to see how freely the commenters showed themselves and it frightened me. Sadly, I don’t see the perspective of the men who left these comments changing all that much, which is what I believe would need to happen in order to bring greater equity to this situation. Prior to this course, I had not really understood the concept of microagressions. Microaggressions are brief, everyday indignities which may be communicated intentionally or unintentionally by well-meaning people through verbal interactions, behavior, or the environment, and communicate an insulting message of inferiority, which can cause psychological harm to the recipient (Laureate Education, 2011). After learning of the concept of microagressions, I began to critically assess my own interactions in an effort to not be the perpetrator of any microagressions, and also to listen closely to interactions between others.
I found it did not take long to pick up on the very microagression that Dr. Sue illustrated in the video segment. This week I sat in on a meeting between the mother and father of one of our students and a specialist from our school district. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the child’s language delay and to determine whether or not to request an evaluation from the special education department. The specialist was a white woman, and very accommodating. The parents of the child are Latino and bilingual. Both speak fluent English with an American accent, it is likely that both parents were born in the United States. During the conversation, it was discussed that the parents speak Spanish to the child at home, as it is their home language, and that the child is beginning to speak more, and also learning English at school. At this point the specialist applauded the parents and said with a smile “and you speak very clearly”. I felt as though the hidden messages was that as Spanish-speaking adults they had done so well for themselves as to speak clear English, and that this would benefit the child as well. It was as if it was expected that they would not speak clearly, and it seemed the implication was that Spanish speakers were inferior to English speakers. The specialist could not have been referring to a situation where a Spanish speaking parent had been learning English, they were as fluent as any of us in the room. Additionally, if it had been the case that the parents were ELLs, it would still not affect their Spanish speaking abilities. Having recognized the unintentional insult, I felt angry on behalf of the parents. It also made me uncomfortable that this is the person designated by the school district to meet with parents who are primarily of color, linguistically diverse, and working class. I felt as though the lack of sensitivity and respect on the part of the school district employee could only serve to alienate families. My observations this week helped me to see how the effects of subtle discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes by those who may be unaware of their own biases can erode trust and relationships. If I had to leave my home and country for a different country with a completely different culture and was only able to bring three small things along that represent my family culture, I would bring a small photo album with pictures of my family, including those members that are gone, my aunt’s ring, and my Scottish cookbook.
The photo album would be important to me because as refugees in a foreign country, we may not be able be near each other, so I would want to have pictures to be able to see my family, and also so that my children would have pictures of the member who are gone, so they will not be forgotten. I would want to have my aunt’s ring, which she wore as a nun. My aunt gave the ring to me shortly before she passed, and I wear it every day to remember her generous, dedicated, and never-give-up soul. The cookbook would be important to have because it would allow me to cook the Scottish dishes for my family that they love. Food brings comfort, and if we were living in a place completely different from our own culture, having the ability to eat our own food that we love would help to feel more at home. If when we arrived I was told that I could only keep one item, it would be difficult to decide which one to keep. It would not only make me sad to give up any of these items, but it would also make me feel as though I were forsaking the ones that I did not choose. When all three are so important, choosing one would indicate that the others are less important, which is not true. This thought makes me better understand the feelings of those who feel forced to give up some of their own family culture when immigrating to another country where the dominant culture is different. It feels as if you are leaving a vital part of yourself behind, and the loss can be deep. My research simulation is an exploration of best practices in fostering English language acquisition among preschool English Language Learners (ELLs). I believe that this is an important topic because as demographics change, many more preschool students are linguistically diverse. Latinos are the fastest growing minority group in the United States and the percentage of Latino children in the United States is expected to reach 36% by the year 2050 (Castro, 2015). Many of these children develop English language skills in preschool environments (Markova, 2017), yet many Latino English language learners lag behind their peers in English vocabulary when leaving preschool (Castro, 2015).
While there are some dual language programs available at the preschool level, they do not seem to be widespread. The fact that ELLs are lagging behind upon leaving preschool seems to say that we can do better. Research into discovering best practices for English language acquisition would benefit the growing population of ELLs as well as the early childhood educators who teach them. I believe that this course has strengthened my understanding of the fact that the practices we employ every day in our schools and our classrooms as early childhood professionals are rooted in research. I also understand how the field and those practices continually evolve as a result of new research. I would also like to say a word of thanks to my colleagues in this course for great discussions each week. We did not always agree, but took the chance to respectfully state our opinions, which I think helped to challenge us to gain deeper understanding of the topics. References Castro, D., Crais E., Kainz K., & Mendez, L. (2015). A culturally and linguistically responsive vocabulary approach for young Latino dual language learners. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.58, 93-106. Markova, I. (2017). Effects of academic and non-academic instructional approaches on preschool English language learners’ classroom engagement and English language development. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 15(4), 339-358. For this week’s blog assignment, I explored the Early Childhood Australia website. Early Childhood Australia, as outlined in this week’s resources, is the Australian equivalent of NAEYC in the United States. The website offers information regarding the organization’s work, professional development resources, information for parents (including information about the first year of school, sleep, health & nutrition, and separation anxiety), as well a number of publications. Publications include the Australasian Journal of Early Childhood and a Research in Practice series.
Research included topics similar to those of research here in the United States. Some topics included were play based learning and intentional teaching, parent-teacher relationships, supporting resilience in children, and supporting early mathematics learning. Below is an abstract from an article which I found interesting: How far have we come in respecting young children in our research? A meta-analysis of reported early childhood research practice from 2009 to 2012 Fiona Mayne Christine Howitt University of Western Australia This paper summarises the reporting of early childhood (EC) research practices through a meta-analysis of 10 scholarly international EC education journals. The analysis included 506 peer-reviewed primary research articles published between 2009 and 2012 (inclusive) involving young children between the ages of birth and eight years. These were reviewed for child status within research, researcher perspective of children involved in research and respectful research culture within EC research. This review provides a broad picture of how young children are currently being involved in research and whether an ideological shift towards more participatory approaches is filtering through to EC research practice. The results indicated that for child status, 96.6 per cent of articles positioned young children in traditional roles as non-participant objects of research (64.6 per cent) and semi-participant subjects (32.0 per cent). Only 3.4 per cent of studies positioned children in inclusive, participatory roles as social actors (3.0 per cent) and co-researchers (0.4 per cent). Similarly, for researcher perspective, 70.2 per cent of articles were identified as research conducted on children, with the remaining 29.8 per cent as research with or by children. In terms of research culture, 89.7 per cent of articles were non-respectful by focusing on what children could do for the research, rather than valuing the children themselves. These results highlight a gap between rights-based EC research literature and the way in which research is being reported with young children. A new Rights-based Research Accountability Framework is presented to assist researchers in understanding how well their research upholds children’s rights principles and what areas need to be addressed to transition towards more inclusive approaches. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood—Volume 40 No 4 December 2015 This abstract caught my eye in light of our class’s previous Discussion assignment regarding children as research subjects. I was very interested to read more in relation to the criteria used to determine which studies were non-respectful by focusing on what children could do for the research. However, the full article is only available on the website for purchase at a price of 22.50 for the journal issue. I was able to find the full article in the Walden library and plan to investigage it further. References Howitt, C. & Mayne, F. (2015). How far have we come in respecting young children in our research? A meta-analysis of reported early childhood research practice from 2009 to 2012? Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 40 (4). Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/our-publications/australasian-journal-early-childhood/index-abstracts/ajec-vol-40-no-4-december-2015/how-far-have-we-come-in-respecting-young-children-in-our-research-a-meta-analysis-of-reported-early-childhood-research-practice-from-2009-to-2012/ Early Childhood Australia. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au Several years ago the agency which administers the early childhood education program where I work partnered with the local college to undertake a needs assessment for the neighborhood in which we operate, including needs related to education and child care. Together, the New Jersey Community Development Corporation and Montclair State University’s Center for Research and Evaluation on Education and Human Services conducted research to guide neighborhood development and delivery of services to its residents. From the website:
Community Needs Assessment for Great Falls, Paterson "CREEHS is currently assisting the New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC) in conducting a needs assessment for the Great Falls area of Paterson, NJ. This work includes: 1) developing a research plan for the project, addressing a number of standard indicators; 2) developing data collection instruments based on the research plan; 3) collecting extant data and supporting additional primary data collection; 4) analyzing and summarizing all data collected; and 5) providing multiple reporting outcomes for varied audiences and uses. This community needs assessment will provide valuable information to guide ongoing development and delivery of services to stakeholders in the community. It also will provide the agency with baseline data required for future funding opportunities" (Montclair State University Center for Research and Evaluation on Education and Human Services, n.d.) A portion of this research included focus groups held with parents of students enrolled in our program. During the focus groups parents had the opportunity to speak of their needs, challenges, and what could be done to help. Information gained as a result of these focus groups helped in the planning of the organization’s future neighborhood development efforts and delivery of services. I believe that this is an example of family’s participation in research having a direct positive effect on their lives. Families were given the opportunity to voice their needs and concerns, and as a direct result shape planning and programming to benefit their families as well as their neighborhood. References Montclair State University Center for Research and Evaluation on Education and Human Services, (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.montclair.edu/cehs/academics/centers-and-institutes/creehs/sample-projects/ Throughout this course, I have been given the opportunity to explore the international early childhood field. Through exploring websites such as UNICEF, Harvard University’s Global Children’s Initiatives, and the Global Fund for Children, I have gained many new insights into the field of international early childhood. My explorations have helped me to:
• Expand my understanding of challenges faced by children and families in countries other than our own, which in some cases, I feel has helped me gain a greater understanding of families who have immigrated to the US from some of these countries. • Learn new, innovative ideas for offering programming to families. • Gain an understanding of the work of international organizations. As a result of my learning, my goal for the field related to international issues would be continued and greater communication and collaboration. Commutation among professionals is important for our growth and development. Today’s technology allows for instant communication with professionals from all over the country and the world. Reading discussion posts has allowed me to gain insights from my colleagues into different types of educational environments, as well as how things elsewhere may be different from my experiences in New Jersey. Exploring international websites has given me knowledge of early childhood issues and trends in countries other than our own and offered me expanded viewpoints, which I feel are important for my own professional growth. |
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