Professional Hopes and Goals

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"I do not want children & families destroyed because of who they are" (Lousie Derman-Sparks, 2011)

The quote above is the hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds. The photo below shows something I have had hanging in my classroom from the very first day I started teaching in 1993. I have tried to live and teach by the meaning behind those words for all these years. 

In addition, I would like to add as my own last line - "and I showed interest and respect for all children and their families, regardless of any differences they may have had from my own".

Goal for early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice-

ECE Curriculum would expand to include lessons, materials and training related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice. Early childhood educators and staff would received more advanced training related to these issues. In addition, more resources would become available to families.

Thank-you to our instructor and my colleagues for becoming a part of my higher learning "culture". It was a pleasure taking part in the discussions with you all and also seeing and hearing how we have all grown more aware of issues related to diversity, equity and social justice. May you all walk away from this class- a better person and human to our society and for our children. 

Good-luck with the rest of your classes. I challenge each of you to become an advocate for diversity, social justice and most importantly for our children.

Donna

Children from Senegal (Africa)

Welcoming Families From Around the World

My preschool classroom will be receiving a family from The Republic of Senegal, which is on the African Continent. We are super excited and have made preparations for our new family:

1. The staff does research about the country, most particularly the area where the family is coming from. We study the language, culture, food, dress, school system etc.

2. When the staff is prepared, we make anannouncement to the students that we will be receiving a new family in our group. We then share photos of the place where they are coming from, including children and houses and so forth. We allow the children to ask questions about their language and culture and food etc.

3. The current students make a big "Welcome" sign and special gifts for the new children that will be arriving soon.

4. The staff meets with the parents (an interpreter is brought if needed and available). We discuss goals for the child and program, goals the family would like to see as far as the child and the program. Any special requests pertaining to food, religion, holidays, etc. Invite the family to participate in the program as they are available. 

5. Make sure the classroom is full of books, posters, toys and so forth depicting children from all over the world and even some with disabilities. We encourage all the children to welcome the new student and make them feel comfortable. If the new child is welcome, we have them share items from their country that we may not have seen before such as toys and food items. We also allow the current students to share items that are special to them.

Our hope and desire is that by making the above preparations, we will all feel an excitement and joy at having a new student from somewhere far away come and join our extended family. We also hope to instill in all of the students, how precious and valuable we all are. Also, we hope to instill in these young children how different we can be from each other, yet so valuable to society. Also, even with the differences, there is always something we all share in common.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

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My most vivid memory of several incidences involving prejudices and/or oppression was back in the 90's when I was living in the deep south. I had spent close to ten years teaching there and was about to get married and relocate to another part of the country. 

When I had the real estate agent come over to my house, I was showing her around the house and yard. This was in a very well-maintained subdivision with lovely homes and yards. Whilst we were outside talking, my neighbor drove up into her driveway. I called her over to introduce her to my real estate agent. They talked briefly and then my neighbor left.

After we went back in the house, my real estate agent told me that it "might be a problem for some looking at my house, as I had black neighbors". I was stunned by this comment, and asked her what she meant by that. She went on to say that there were going to be potential buyers that would not want to have "those people" as neighbors. This agent was diminishing equity of all black people by suggesting many non-black people would not like to purchase a home or live by black people. 

I made it very clear, that my neighbors were very good people and had been helpful to me over the years while I lived there. My neighbor was also a teacher and her husband was a Colonel in the military. Their children were good friends with my daughter and they played together all the time.

Her continued comments made it very clear that she had stereotyped all black people as "criminals". I mentioned to me that I would not want someone buying my house that would have a problem with my neighbors, as they were such nice people and so forth.

Later, after the agent left I could not stop thinking about her rude and discriminating comments. Although, I did not realize it at the time, she was using microassaults towards my neighbors (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010). It left me feeling angry towards the agent and also ashamed that I had allowed someone like that in my house.

 The next day, I called the Broker of the real estate office, and voiced my concerns. She suggested I change to another real estate agent in the office, and I agreed.

Today, if something like that happened I would personally educate the realtor about how biased she was, and that she was clearly practicing real estate violations by assuming what others would feel about their neighbors. She had no business working as a real estate as far as I was concerned.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). “Microaggressions in Everyday Life”               [Video webcast]. Retrieved on May 28, 2013 from https://class.waldenu.edu