Creating Affirming Environments

    In my own Family Child Care Home, I would be mindful of the type of things I want the children to learn and how they learn everything. I would do a theme such as a jungle theme where monkeys, snakes and such would be everywhere to promote a different type of thinking or environment where learning may take place. I would like for there to be tables which have crayon boxes of all colors on them so that each child can choose what color they prefer. In the center of the room would be the desk or most commonly used learning positions. I would also have a carpet which would allow children to join together to have meetings and conversations.

    The walls would be full of inspirational posters and helpful reminders, and there would be posters that contained daily helpful hints. Those posters would include the multiplication tables, or the Pronoun chart, and comprehension tools. I would make sure to provide a location for a library. Where I would include books of all genres with many different cultures represented.

    I would be sure to provide a curriculum that has themes of self-discovery, family and community (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010).  I want the children to draw pictures of themselves and what they want to be and of what their family at home look like and to explain them. I would also like for them to draw their favorite place to go outside and what are some things they would find there. I would be sure to explain to the class as a whole that a family can look like anything not just a mommy and daddy and such. I want to make sure every child is comfortable with expressing themselves.

    I have created my environment by reading through the suggestions of the reading materials and realizing that even your classroom presentation can show your biases. I have an idea of what I would want my classroom to look like from the colleagues I work with it. Some of my colleagues’ classrooms are not very inviting with not much on the walls and then there are those that just seem so warming and welcoming. That is the kind of classroom I want to have.

 

Reference:

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

What I Have Learned

My hope that I have for children and families that come from a diverse background, is to create several learning environments to where they feel as though they are at the utmost importance no matter what their circumstance. I want to give everyone that I come across the motivation to be a better person in all aspects of live.

I would like to set a goal for the early childhood field to put aside each and every bias the professionals may come across and be better people, and educators for children and families to look up to. We as professionals set the standard for expectations and how can we expect others to succeed if we ourselves are not successful.

I want to say thank you to all of my colleagues here at Walden and at my Elementary. Being that I am so young in this profession, I truly can say I am learning a lot day by day. I wouldn’t change anything about my experiences. Thank you all for helping me grow into a more aware professional. This journey will soon come to an end for me, yet the everyday experiences will remain near and dear to me. Again thank you.

Creative Art

All the social issues children come across. As professionals we must learn to look past our biases and create learning environments that will help support their not so normal lives.

We must become the professionals that will encourage healthy families that may all look different as well as classrooms that will look different as well. Most importantly always remember early childhood education is the foundation to a child’s healthy beginning.

We Don't Say Those Words in Class

I am the youngest of 3 children and over the past years I have spent a lot of time with my nieces and nephews. I remember one day as we were at the mall hanging out, we were in the food court when a older woman was feeding what looked to be her son, but he was in his 20s or so. He had some type of mental retardation. My 7 year old nephew who is more of the curious type, asked me out loud as we were walking by the mother and son what was wrong with him and why was she feeding him. As I pulled him by his arm quickly and continued to move, I told him I would explain it to him at a different time.

The lesson I hoped to teach him at that moment is to recognize different things happening, but not speak about it to their face and be rude. When we talked about the situation later, he had a lot of questions. I answered them all as best as possible, and then I asked him about different things he has been noticing. As we talked about it all, I started informing him about why it is polite not to stare, point or talk about others that may be different.

As an anti-bias educator, I would explain it to my class the same. I would give them the opportunity to express and ask about previous encounters with differences they have seen. Then after I answer all of their questions as best as possible, I would then begin to explain why it is best and most polite not to point, and stare at those with differences.

Seeing Diversity

 

Your response to those who believe that early childhood centers should avoid the inclusion of books depicting gay or lesbian individuals such as same-sex partnered families?

I feel as though times have changed tremendously in the last 30 years. So some things that were not acceptable in the library section is now and should be acceptable. The world of same-sex partners is not something that can be hidden. So instead of hiding the information and things that can come to light as an education system I think we should not necessarily push the books into children hands, but allow them to have the option of reading if they feel free. It’s almost of the times of the Civil Rights movement, a lot of people did not like the idea of integrated schools but it was inevitable. So instead of being ignorant we must educate ourselves.

If you have ever used or heard homophobic terms as insults by child to child or by an adult to a child. Describe what occurred. How might these types of comments influence all children?

I have heard on the playgrounds Fourth grade boys teasing a fourth grade for the way she dressed. They were saying she was a “tom boy” because she always wore long shirts and boy shorts and basketball shoes. The teasing of the boys hurt the little girls feelings, and you could tell in the weeks to follow that she was trying to look more like a girl. These comments had influenced the little girl to be more self conscious about her appearance. So therefore she tried to change her appearance. No telling if the teasing of these little boys will be a long lasting influence on her image or just a temporary affect.

A Bond Like No Other

Oh my, I can’t believe it is already time to tell you guys thanks. This program is just flying by and I feel as though I am growing tremendously. I want to thank each and every one of you, who has taken the time to comment on my blogs and discussions. It is so helpful to know that there is a group of people out there that share the same goals and aspirations as me. I could not have asked for a better group of people to grow with. I think the best part about this class ending is knowing that as I have grown, you have grown as well.  I want to wish everyone a fantastic and blessed journey as you continue through it. Never look back and never ever give up. We have been given the opportunity to be a part of some of the most magnificent and amazing creatures on this planet, children. Keep striving.

Adjourning Teamwork

The group that I am thinking of that made the hardest to say good-bye is the 5^th grade class that left school for the last time on the last day. Our group was special because I got the opportunity to grow with the 5^th graders and they got the opportunity to see where hard work pays off. I do believe that high performing groups are the hardest to leave. Once someone achieves so much and gets the opportunity to experience it with someone else it means a lot more.

What I thought was really special and unique for the 5^th graders were that it was a tradition for the 5^th graders to be sent off by the rest of the school. Each other grade lined the hall way to create a pathway for the 5^th graders. Then the 5^th graders got to walk the halls for the last time with music playing and everyone cheering. It was an amazing experience to watch and I could only imagine what it felt like to participate in it. Once the 5^th graders passed by me, all I could do was think about the times we spent preparing for the statewide test and just learning about our history and everyday life.

When it comes to adjourning from my colleagues I become sad and happy. I am sad because for the last year I have learned and grew with some amazing people from all over the world. I feel as though I can have a place to go where at least someone understands what I am going through. I almost don’t know where I will go once we graduate to find colleagues and peers like I have today. Yet I know I will be extremely happy because we have all accomplished something that many people will never have the opportunity to do. We will have set goals for ourselves and will have reached them.

I feel as though adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork because it is a way to see where workings towards your goals have led you. For my 5^th graders we worked 2 semesters on preparing for the state test. When we received our grades from the practice test we had seen that our hard work had paid off. Yet this wasn’t the last step, and I had explained to them that it was time for the next group of teachers to lead them further. So adjourning is just another phase of reaching your goals in my eyes.