Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice

Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice

     One hope that I have when thinking about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is that I can reach out to, relate, and create a strong relationship with each child and family. I hope to continue to educate myself and gain more resources to be able to help all of the families that might cross my path. Helping children build a strong relationship with themselves and their identity is crutial to help them stand up for themselves as well as understand how to appreciate and value everyone’s identity and uniqueness.

     A goal for the early childhood field related to diversity, equity, and social justice would be for everyone to demonstrate awareness, confidence, and empowerment towards these topics. If we all learn how to embrace diversity and how to work against prejudice and discrimination, we can surely move in the right direction of living in peace.

     I would like to thank all of my colleagues for your constant show of support and commitment to diversity. I have enjoyed reading everyone’s blogs and discussing such topics through our discussion board. I have truly learned a lot from your points of view and comments. I wish all of you the best of luck.

Happy Holidays!

Welcoming Families From Around the World

Welcoming Families From Around the World

     I have been informed that I am receiving a new family from Bulgaria. The first thing I think about are the contacts I have. I had previously taught with a friend who is currently teaching in Bulgaria. I would try and get as much information from her as possible. I would ask her about their culture, beliefs, food, education, and family living. I would also hit the internet and research any information I can on Bulgaria. I will look for pictures and videos to show the class about where our new student is from.

     After finding out basic information about the country, I would look into meeting with the family (without the students) before beginning at the school. I would sit with the parents to gain as much information as possible about their family as well as the child. I would discuss my interest about the child’s likes and dislikes. By doing this, I could better serve the child in the classroom. I would also ask the parents to bring in something from their culture to share with the class.

     To prepare for the first day of class, I would have the children share the fears they had at the beginning of the year and how it changed to how they feel now. The children can also share tips and suggestions for the new child on how to make their day easier. The new child can then share what they brought in, explain what it is, and talk about where they come from. If the child does not speak the language yet, I could share with the class the information shared by their family. I will then share with the class the picture and videos I found on Bulgaria so they get more information about where the new child is from.

     I would try and assign 2 friends to the new student to be used as a buddy system in the class and throughout the school. These children can answer any questions and show the new students what they need to know.

     I hope to be better prepared and informed to receive this new child and their family. Knowing where they come from and more about the country will help me feel more comfortable with the family as well as more respectful because I have shown interest in their relocation to a new country and my concern for their comfort entering school. Building this relationship will hopefully benefit both me and the family in feeling better with each other and the new environment.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

          When I was in middle school, I went to a magnet school that specialized in the arts (dance, music, art, and drama). Usually these schools are placed in lower income neighborhoods and those attending for the arts program are bused in from other neighborhoods. The school’s race was predominantly African Americans and the majority of the children bused in were white or Hispanics. I remember one day they had “white day”. What this consisted of was that the African American children would stand on either sides of the halls and as white students would walk down the hall they would trip or push and shove them down the hall, all while laughing and making fun of the student. My cousin who attended the school with me was Hispanic but very fair skinned so she was involved in this “white day” fiasco. I felt so helpless because all I could do was rush her down the hall as quickly as possible so they wouldn’t have a chance to do anything to her. This was so degrading and hurtful. This “white day” activity made a loud and clear statement of the race that dominated and how easily they could get away with it. So it wasn’t even a race thing but more of appearance. Even though my cousin was Hispanic, she was involved just because the color of her skin. I think there should have been more adult intervention and awareness for them to put a stop to this racist activity and explain and educate more on biases and racism. Although this happened years ago, my cousin and I still talk about it sometimes and remember what a horrible feeling it was to be afraid to walk down the hall in your own skin.