Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

I understand my personal-life factors may impact the emotional, intellectual, and social development of the young children and families in my classroom.  I considered several situations.  One aspect that I anticipate experiencing relates to gender stereotyping and sexism.  I have never had a child from a lesbian or gay family.  Recently, a new student enrolled in another kindergarten classroom.  This young man has a lesbian mom that includes her partner living together.  This family structure does not personally bother me.  However, this family dynamic is very unfamiliar to me.  In addition, I feel pressure from my Church and the Christian beliefs I have been taught.  This has been a topic of several sermons over the past several months.  I do not agree with judging others and dismissing them for their beliefs as some Churches believe.  If I was unwilling to be accepting of differences, my children would suffer.  This risk of hurting them is great.  Their self-esteem and self-confidence could be harmed.  They would feel isolated and unworthy.  I would never want to be guilty of making a child feel this way.  I try to treat them with the love and care I would expect for my own child.  It is not always easy, but it is so important.   

As an educator, it becomes imperative to set aside my personal feelings in order to accommodate the needs of my children.  We live in a culturally diverse world with no room for prejudice.  Our children need to be taught awareness and tolerance.  It is our responsibility as teachers and parents to educate our students.  In this scenario, I would research gay or lesbian families and issues using course materials and internet research.  I would visit with members of local organizations that represent these families.  Foremost, I would take the initiative to communicate with the family about their experiences and expectations.  Taking their needs and lifestyle into account will help me incorporate stories and activities that help children understand family differences.  Children and families are similar to snowflakes – each one is unique in its own way.        

Observing Communication

Observing Communication

            I observed teacher communicating with a kindergarten student during recess.  One of the bilingual students went to a teacher on duty to tell her someone had pushed her on the slide.  This teacher did not realize the child spoke limited English.  Unfortunately, the teacher did not take the time to listen or even try to understand the situation.  The little girl walked off with a sad look on her face. 

            I have noticed that this happens more often than not.  I am even guilty of quickly trying to resolve problems and move on.  I have learned throughout my Walden courses that this form of communication or lack thereof becomes very ineffective.  An educators need to take the time to listen and be respectful to our little ones.  They need to be heard.  We need to be a role model for proper communication in order to build a child’s self-confidence and self-worth.

            In the above interaction, this child most likely felt as if their problem was not important.  In addition, she may have felt that the adults she trusts did not want to help her.  As a mom myself, I have learned children are very perceptive.  Our tones and reactions with children leave an impression – positive or negative.  As a result, children will learn to act they way they have observed the adults around them.

            I believe this teacher should have taken a moment to find a student or teacher that could interpreted for the little girl.  This information would have helped the teacher be more empathetic with this child.  She could have reassured her that she understood and help her feel better.  Furthermore, the teacher probably should have taken the time to visit with both students and help them resolve the pushing issue.  Over the past year, I have noticed I tend to do the same thing – “fix” the problem and move.  Unfortunately, I am not truly correcting the issue.  I am just pushing it aside.  This reaction may have shown my students that I do not care.  On the contrary, I care a great deal, but I have been ineffective. 

            In conclusion, I think this would be a great topic to discuss with my students using persona dolls.  Persona dolls help children in the following ways:  they help children consider feelings, ways to help others feel better about themselves, and dealing with conflicting opinions;  they support children in considering fair ways to share and get on with each other; the dolls help children to learn positive attitudes and challenge negative attitudes and stereotypes; and they are a fantastic way to help young children develop empathy for others, be inclusive and to think critically (Persona Doll Training, 2009).  I hope to begin including persona dolls in my classroom.  I use a panda bear named K.B. (short for Kinder Bear).  The children love when I use him for instructional purposes.  I need to expand my collection.

Reference

Personal Doll Training (2009).  Retrieved from

 http://www.persona-doll-training.org/ukhome.html

Creating Affirming Environments

Creating Affirming Environments

            This week I have been exploring ways in which to create a learning environment that reflects the diversity of the children and families with whom I work, expand and deepen understanding and respect for diversity, and promote strong family-teacher relationships. For this blog assignment, I have the amazing opportunity to bring these ideas to life by conceptualizing what this might look like in an authentic early childhood setting.

In this scenario, I will be establishing a Family Child Care Home.  The look and sounds of the environment needs to reflect the family cultures and daily lives of the children and families that will be served (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  It needs to include toys, material, equipment, posters, pictures, books, activities, and furniture that create an inviting, anti-bias learning environment to encourage students to explore, discover, and communicate on different levels (Derman-Sparks & Edwards).

I was very impressed and inspired by Adriana’s childcare center that she established in her home.  It was so thoughtfully arranged to welcome the students and their families.  I would love to work with 10 children in the three and four-year old range.  As you enter the home, children and their families would be greeted with a bright, welcoming bulletin board.  This would contain a calendar, schedule of daily events, important news for the parents, and pictures of the children participating in various activities.  There would be an area for the children to keep their personal belongings.  In this cubby, each child would have a small framed picture of their family.  I loved the idea of information wall and the family culture shelf described by Adriana’s home care (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).  For privacy issues, I would have an information notebook for each individual child.  The parent would be able to leave me notes about health issues, concerns, problems, or any information pertaining to that child.  These notebooks would be reviewed while the children were engaged in the cozy corner.  This room would have a comfy couch, rocking chair, large floor pillows, some small stuffed toys, and books.  What a great place for children to transition from their parents and begin their day!  Once all the children had arrived and were calm, we would head for the kitchen for breakfast time.  This gives the teachers and the children a time to visit, relax, and fill their little tummies.  I would have several other rooms or areas that would support:  art activities, reading nooks, dramatic play area complete with a kitchen, mini-store, and dress-up clothes.  I love the idea of the persona dolls (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2011).  There would be a basket full of dolls that provided a wide-range of diversity.  In the sunroom and outdoor covered patio, I would include areas for water and sand exploration.  There would be raised gardens for planting and digging.  There would be a special section of a wall with a table for the children to display pictures of themselves and family items to share with their peers.  I would encourage each family to schedule a time to visit the center and discuss the items displayed with all the children.  On a monthly basis, the students would learn about a different culture.  They would hear stories, see pictures, complete art projects, taste foods, would meet people from a variety of cultures.  In addition, this childcare center would provide displayed pictures, books, activities, and videos that depicted different culture and areas of diversity; especially, the cultures of the children attending the center.  Finally, I would also incorporate a curriculum that taught and exposed the students to the basic skills needed to advance to a kindergarten program.

In conclusion, I think this would be an amazing opportunity for the future.  In a home setting, an educator would have many more opportunities to work with the children on issues of diversity, social interactions, academic, personal, and spiritual needs.  I would love for this center to be Christian based.  I believe a strong belief system becomes essential in all of our lives.

References

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

ourselves.  Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2011).  Welcome to the anti-bias learning community.  Media segment

with Adriana Castillo.