Thank You!

My most passionate hope for my future as an early childhood professional is to continue teaching, but move to a younger age level. Our schools no longer recognize kindergarten as an Early Childhood Setting. We have been moving away from the best strategies for younger learners, and kindergarten looks more like first grade. We have little to no time to form and maintain relationships with our families. It breaks   my heart. In order to establish these relationships and remember the most appropriate strategies for this age group, I would like to teach younger students.

I would like to thank all of those who have traveled the Masters Journey with me. Life has been an up and down for me during this entire process, and quite honestly I am amazed that I made it through. From my house flooding and living in a hotel for months, to being evaluated under a new administration with incredibly rigorous standards, to having my daughter experience treatment for anxiety about not being able to breath or eat, to then later have surgery to remove adenoids to having my sister committed to a psychiatric facility twice for depression and suicidal behaviors. Life this year has been rough. Really rough! But I’m thhhhhhiiisss close to being finished! I thank you all for partnering with me as we work through the courses and this program.

I wish the best for all of you. I am hoping that you all find your passion!

Ukraine

The current circumstances in eastern Ukraine amount to protection crisis, where basic rights of families and children are affected. The ongoing state of uncertainty and escalating violence is taking a heavy toll on the children’s and families’ mental health and well-being. Heavy fighting, massive destruction and general insecurity, deaths of family members and friends as well as loss of property and livelihoods have caused massive stress to families who are directly affected.

The following information was gathered from the Ukraine UNICEF website.

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Mass media reports about the fighting and destruction affect the mental health of people living in safer places and exacerbates worries about the future. The results of UNICEF psychosocial assessment  of children in Donetsk region indicate that 37 per cent of all children aged 7-18 have been directly exposed to adverse or threatening events. Teachers, parents, and caregivers are not always capable of addressing these concerns as they themselves are under stress.

 Widespread displacement has led to separation of families and children, and as such family tracing and reunification of children with families remain priority tasks. Another particularly vulnerable group are children in institutional care. UNICEF partners on the ground also report tensions between host communities and IDPs. UNICEF’s monitoring and discussions with people reveal divides in communities and anger, frustration and lack of hope for the future. These factors call for psychosocial support, care and counseling aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence with a focus to diffuse and address anger before it leads to conflicting situations. 426 school psychologists have reached over 12,884 children with psycho-social support Over 19,578 calls are received by UNICEF-supported children’s hotline on a bi-weekly basis Psychologists trained by UNICEF have provided outreach services to 3,422 teachers and local psychologists Community Protection Centres and Child-friendly spaces in schools have provided services and/or information to over 30,000 children and caregivers.

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I think about Eastern Europe every day. I wonder how in the world children in Russia or Ukraine have a chance when the average child is not beginning any formal schooling until 6 or 7. And then, it is very “old-school” with demands and pressure. Teachers are bribed to give extra attention to wealthy students. The poorest really don’t stand much of a chance..It saddens me, and for years I have wanted to go back. With the way politics has played out over the past few years, I wouldn’t feel safe..

Let them Be Little

Three or more examples, from your personal or professional experience, that further illustrate the exposure of young children to a highly sexualized environment.

-There are many opportunities when music is played and children dance in a way that shows they have watched overly sexualized dancing

-Many children need guidance who need to be advised to keep hands to self, as they are attempting to mimic what they have seen between a man and woman, and attempt to recreate those moments.

-Children are often dressed inappropriately, wearing clothing that is too skimpy and makeup applied.

The implication this may have on children’s healthy development is a creation of an illusion that value is placed on what one can do for someone to entice them sexually. An idea an early childhood professional might use to best respond to these concerns and to reduce the negative impact on children is to have a center policy on clothing that includes reasons of safety rather than sexuality.

Homeless-ness In Real Life

Homeless-Ness In Real Life

Residential instability is a disruptive experience for children and families (Fantuzzo, LeBoeuf, Chen,  Rouse, & Culhane, 2012). Unpredictable and undesired moves from one’s home adversely affect the family support system and children’s development and well-being. (Fantuzzo, LeBoeuf, Chen,  Rouse, & Culhane, 2012). As much as disruptive it is to be without our home, the uncertainty of life while raising two daughters, teaching, and working in graduate school caused enormous anxiety and worry.

Some who shared the last class with me may know that in late September a major leak occurred in my home. This leak flooded the third level, second level, and basement of my home. A water mitigation company came in and demolished large water soaked areas of my house. Because of the lack of walls and floors in many areas, my daughters and I were sent to a hotel. We attempted to gather what we needed, as I thought we would only be there a short time. I wasn’t sure how to proceed for many days, as the insurance company had to work on our “estimate.” Until then, I couldn’t plan for contractors to come in and begin the repair. I was devastated as I had just remodeled my kitchen. For the first few days, I thought I would be going on after a few days. Later I realized we would be without our home for months.

In the beginning of our time without our home, I suffered severe anxiety. I was worried about how I would get everything done while working, mothering, and being in graduate school. Life was truly hectic and chaotic. I didn’t manage anything well, and everything seemed to be a day late and a dollar short. I couldn’t focus on anything well. We moved back into our house last week and then left for New York City for Thanksgiving. Our house is still in boxes, and although we are home, nothing is in order. We are still playing catch-up.

While at the hotel, our normal mornings went from my girls walking 50 yards to their bus stop and me leaving the home just after that, to me getting my girls up early and dropping one child off at her school then taking my other daughter to my mother’s home so that she could take her to school at the regular time. I was stressed everyday as traffic can be brutal in DC, and my normal commute is 45 minutes, and these extra steps added to the time.

I had a bit of a breakdown at school one day and ended up crying in my principal’s office. I felt frustrated by a variety of issues, and it bubbled up and into tears at school.

Despite high levels of risk exposure, many children who experience family homelessness demonstrate competence across developmental domains, suggesting resilience (Herbers, Cutuli, Supkoff, Narayan, & Masten, 2014). This was the case for my daughters. Although I did a poor job of juggling everything on my plate, my daughter’s report cards were on par with what they had last year.

Homelessnesss is by far worse than our temporary situation. I can empathize with families going through struggles. I had the support of my family, boss, friends, and mainly my insurance company. For me there was an end in sight, for the homeless families there is no end in sight.

An Observation

       This week, I chose to observe a teacher/student interaction. This week our math resource teacher worked in my classroom to introduce a math game. She used several techniques to extend the children’s language (Rainer-Dangei & Durden, 2010). 

     The teacher, Mrs. ***********, began with a demonstration of the game. She asked me to choose a student to play with her. During the game, the little girl was shy and nervous. I had not anticipated this. The goal of the game is to match domino cards to their number on a board. As the card is placed, the players have to say, “I count 9, I need the 9 card.” (Or) “I count 9, I do not need a 9 card.”  Each time, the student I chose, would count, but forget the words to say. Mrs. Johnson would look at her and the shrug her shoulders. Sometimes she would say, “Class, what should ***** say?”  Each time, I wanted to rescue my student, and help her. Her facial expression seemed afraid and embarrassed. Her voice near to a whisper. This is a bright child who normally raises her hand and shares with smiles. I was mad at myself that I had not chosen a different child.

      Research notes the impact that the changing notion of childhood has had on policies. Silin’s article suggests that we reflect on research and consider strategies that we must reconsider (2005 & 2008). We as educators are asked to consider new frameworks based on the complexity of the world in which our students live and learn. As I reflect on the lesson, I wonder if the math resource teacher has reflected on best practices for early learners.

       It appears that the chosen student was too nervous to produce the words she needed to say. A gentler approach may have helped. Maybe I rescue my students. Maybe I don’t allow that tense silent period..

I allow for wait time, but when I see the blush come over my students’ faces, I often give them a life line. Example: “Do you want to think about it a little more?” “Do you want someone to help you?”

Resources

Rainer Dangei, J., & Durden, T. R. (2010). The nature of teacher talk during small group activities. YC: Young Children, 65(1), 74-81. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database. http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=47964033&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Silin, J. G. (2005 and 2008). Who can speak? Silence, voice and pedagogy. In: Yelland, N. (Ed.) Critical issues in early childhood education. (p 81). Berkshire, Great Britain: McGraw-Hill Education. Retrieved from:http://site.ebrary.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/lib/waldenu/docDetail.action?docID=10175188

Home Child Care and Education-The River Academy

The River Academy

It is important for all parents to know that the center or home where they have chosen to place their child is regulated, licensed, and safe. So at the entryway to my center would be a check-in spot where all information is posted.

Also in the "arrival area" a resource center will be in place.

Parents will also have access to their child's binder which will contain all emergency information, behavior notes, doctor's letters, teacher notes, and any other information about that child.

As families bring their children into the learning area of the center, they will notice bursts of color which welcome the children and family.In each area, differing races, cultures, faces, jobs, and identities will be pictured.

The flags above can be specific to the cultures of the people attending. New flags can be added as needed. This space is used for teaching, centers, and play.

This room is an additional room with materials that are used then returned. This would be a perfect space for children in "before and after" care as it requires the child to place items in higher shelves. This smaller area can also be used for children who prefer small item tasks such as Legos.

A Resting Room

This layout would be similar, with much smaller beds, and no toys in the room. 

It is important for 2, 3, and 4 year old children to rest. In my center,  there would be a sleeping room for each age group and children will have a their own cot. Families will bring in blankets and stuffed animals from home to offer that home school connection for the child. The sleeping rooms would be permanent rooms that require no set up each day. When children lie down to sleep, lullabies from around the room will play.

The Outdoor Space

The outdoor learning areas would be the place where families can make the biggest impact on the cultural awareness of the children. Each family will be encouraged to plant seeds, bring in items for the musical garden, or paint murals throughout the area.

Parents will be asked about their talents and special skills so that they can come to the center and make presentations, read books, or teach the children a new skill.

The Staff

The staff will be representative of the community. It will be important to be aware of special skills and talents, and look for diversity when hiring all teachers and support staff.

A Few PepTalks

We are learning about diversity..And with newly learned information we need to do something. Something that adds to our world, make our world a better place..With that, Be Awesome...

With That...Here is PepTalk, cause we can all use it!

This little guy's videos are worth sharing..If teachers could watch these each morning, we'd be better off! 

Accepting Differences

As the sister of a gay woman, I am passionate about learning about the LGBTQ community. I wasn't always in the "know" and have spent the last 20 years trying to understand and to get a better sense of what it means to be part of that community. Do I have all the answers, oh heck no! But I won't stop trying. I want to be tolerant of all walks of life. 

One segment of the LGBTQ community that I fell in love with years ago is the Drag Community. This is a distinct group of people who are typically gay men who dress in women's clothing as a job. Most treat it as an art form. Most tend to dress as men in their day to day life, but are somewhat feminine. 

Please take 8 minutes to watch how life is for RuPaul throughout his early life til now. I learn a lot from Ru..As a matter of fact, and as a part of my continued learning about this group from LGBTQ community I will be attending a DRAG show tonight in DC. As much as I love Drag Shows, I honestly know that attending shows like this broadens my scope of understanding. It is important. 

Of course I believe that early childhood centers should NEVER avoid the inclusion of books depicting gay or lesbian individuals such as same-sex partnered families. Not every child would understand the books, but there are some out there that would! We aim for ALL the children, which is very different than aiming to reach the “average” child….

I would respond to a parent/family member who informed you they did not want anyone who is perceived (or self-reported) homosexual or transgender to be caring for, educating, and/or interacting with their child

by sharing that we are not about excluding anyone. Schools and teachers should be tolerant and accepting of all groups of people, and if the parent cannot support the differences, then they are free to find other arrangements for their child. 

Best of Luck and Thank You!

As we wrap up this course, I'd like to thank you all for your contribution to the class!
It's always difficult to focus during the summer with work, vacations, kids, and life in general. Thank you for keeping it interesting and focused.
Best of Luck as we move on..

Julianne

saying goodbye…

Saying hello, meant saying goodbye…

Thirteen years ago I joined a group of pre-adoptive families. Although it was only an online group, it was the most supportive gathering of people I have ever known. The group was specific to the Far East Region of Russia where we were all adopting from. As each member received a date to go and meet their child, we would sing out praises knowing we would all have a turn..Then we would all come home and wait for a 2^nd trip to attend court and finalize our adoptions. There were travel ideas shared, hotel recommendations shared, and a host of other ideas to make that month long trip a bit easier..What each of us knew was that once we came home, our anxiety about travel and finalizing our adoptions would be behind us and we would slowly stop coming to the online group, in order to put all of our focus on our babies..

Are high-performing groups hardest to leave? Absolutely, but the only people who left the group were the families who had finished the journey. I lived, breathed, and ate Russian Adoption while going through it, now we just live our lives.

Which of the groups that you participated in was hardest to leave? By far, this group was difficult to leave, as it was such a big part of my life for 10 months. After meeting most of the families who were near me in the process, Facebook has thankfully brought many of us back together.

What sorts of closing rituals have you experienced or wish you had experienced? There was no closing ritual, more of a gentle lack of posts and returned phone calls.  

How do you imagine that you will adjourn from the group of colleagues you have formed while working on your master's degree in this program? Because my masters is work related, I don’t have the same connection as I did while adopting, but saying goodbye is always difficult.

 The beauty of making friends online is they can become In Real Life Friends..These little ones are all part of the Russian group that were adopted with my two little ones! (On vacation together in Florida)

 Same family traveling to NYC for a visit with another family who adopted with us!

Conflicts

Several years ago I wrote some concerns in my personal blog. Someone read it, printed it, and then put it on my principal's desk..I was subsequently called in to discuss my opinions with my boss. For some reason, both my principal and assistant principal entertained the complaint against me and what I wrote in my blog. I kept saying, "This is my opinion, this is my blog, It was written at my home, and on my computer, How can I be punished for this?"

Our conversation surrounding my blog entry went in circles. They had their thoughts on it, and I had mine. At the end of the day, they put the blog in my school based personnel file with a note about our meeting. Nothing was done, but somehow having it in my file has irritated me every since. Both my assistant principal and assistant principal have left my school and I plan to ask my current boss to remove the entry into my personnel file. 

Two strategies that I could have used are: 

1) Involving a third party. (ACResolution.org., 2011)
THIS IS WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE. I should have contacted the union to help with this, as I know I was being targeted for my personal opinions.

2) Separate the people from the conflict.(ACResolution.org., 2011) This would have helped me to finish out the year without having hurt feelings. 

References

ACResolution.org. (2011). Association for conflict resolution. Retrieved from http://www.acrnet.org/

Here is the entry to the earlier blog post that I wrote:

The Old and the Young -April 18th 2013

It's Report Card time, so needless to say, I am a wreck of worry and confusion as I try to formulate little words and letters into a formal document fit for FCPS.It is the saddest thing I have ever seen. Standards based reporting for children who need an entire year to learn the language, let alone to count to 100 by one and backwards from 50...Just sad.

This is my best class in a very long time and I want to tell their parents, "HEY, they are reading and writing, they are memorizing poems, and figure out complex GT based word problems, they are well behaved and motivated to be GOOD, and  kind..

Ahhh, but not the case for the report cards we now have.. It is important to check the appropriate box and only give one of the approved comments. Which by the way are organized about as well as my craft closet.. So the past few days I have been very blue. Blue at the state of affairs in the schools lately. I am not alone. Not by a long shot. Young teachers tootle along and think this is the way to do it.. Search and assess, means missing the essence of who a child is. And what is more important than what they can do, is, Who They Are.. And we are fighting a battle between young and old. Young feeling as if those of us who have been around a while just never found the "right" way to teach.. Young feeling congratulatory to each other when they fill out the latest grid/matrix which tells them nothing but what that child could regurgitate that day.. The old hoping desperately that no one notices that said grid/matrix wasn't completed; because that day we had to complete a retelling bear that their favorite other teacher friend did.. And it was way more fun..

I woke up this morning thinking about young and old. Laughing that I am in the old group. Laughing that although I have been in the class for 22 years, I have people doubting me simply because I refuse to buy the company line. Reason being, I bought the company line in 1992 when we implemented the "15-To-1" program.  In 1996 I bought into the idea of pull out programs. In 1999 I bought into Core Knowledge. In 2000 I bought into Words their Way. In 2004 I bought into Lucy Caulkins.
But slowly and mysteriously through the myriad of programs thrown our way, whether it be working with a small group or large, I found out what works. I found out that I have the gift of sharing information. I found out that through sharing personal stories and my favorite books, that I can hold the attention of young children. I can review information in a way that small ones find interesting. I can secretly inflict my own personal "manners" beliefs on my small ones and they gladly buy into it. Over time, I feel like I know the children. And over time, through decades of relied upon evaluations, I can know what they know without needing an 8 page checklist. I can reteach and reach deeper for those who need it. One who has worked with 5 year olds for 22 years, KNOWS. 

But the young ones are the ones towing the line. They won't stand with us to say, "This is nonsense."
And this is where I am. Working with line towers. Me feeling like Norma Rae. Needing to stand up on the line and shout out, "We aren't going to take it anymore..."
But I won't. I can't.    The one thing about myself that I can't believe is that becoming a mother has made me very practical. Very.
I have given up the dream to live overseas. I have given up the idea of starting a business/charity. I have given up the idea of things..As much as it seems as though I have given up a lot. It's not the case. I get wayyy more than I give up. My girlz may be a pain in the ass sometimes, but they are the reason for my practicality, and I am ok with it.

Tonight is an event at my school. GAME NIGHT  With all of our self inflicted search for rigor, we have chosen to have Game Night. We invite the parents to come to our school and play games. Yeah, just what I said. There has to be a better way to use our precious time with parents in the building.
BUT, at the last minute, Anna reminded me that tonight is her chorus concert. I have missed most all of their events at school. Mom goes, but this time Anni asked/begged me to go.  The mistake I made is not telling my principal about it. Report cards have had me in a tizzy, so honestly, I kept thinking of emailing her, but then something would come up. So I sent it this morning.
And although I like to consider myself a rebel, I do worry that I will upset someone or they will be angry with me.

As the sun starts to rise and the birds begin their songs, it bothers me that I wake up with a nervous stomach. I should not dread my school day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking back I can see my frustration, but what I don't see is information about my personal school that would be wrong to write about. Nothing confidential shared.. Looking back I can see that both of the leaders in my school felt the sting of what I wrote, but  my blog was semi private, meaning you'd really have to look for it to find it.. 

Impressions

What we see is often what we feel inside. Many of us in our group had similar opinions when trying to make opinions about the photograph we evaluated. Most of us used specific elements that we saw to make judgments. Most were able to make connections from what we have experienced in our lives to "guesstamate" the specifics of the photograph. I agreed with many of my group mates about the photograph. Some were nervous to make judgments about the female, but everyone else was able to complete the task without difficulty!

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NOW, a little about First Impressions and Instincts.....

ARE the middle squares all red, all orange, mixed colors??  Hmmm, it's our perception that muddies the water!

The Koffka Ring Illusion shows us that what we see can be an illusion...

3 Strategies

This week we are tasked to think about the cultural diversity we see in our colleagues at school, in our neighborhood, in our workplace, and also, possibly, within our family.  We are to consider all the aspects that make up culture, including race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, varying abilities, and so on.

The question we are to ask is;

Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?

To answer this honestly, I would say yes, I do communicate differently with different groups. I can eliminate political affiliations and sexual orientation as those are not groups that I have awareness of, therefore I don’t respond to those groups differently.

When having conversations with those of religions different than my own, I try to remember the cultural norms of that group. I try to be respectful of their cultural beliefs surrounding their religion, and mirror the family’s method of communication.

Three strategies you could use to help you communicate more effectively with the people or groups you have identified:

1.    Don’t assume that helping children is makes them too dependent! Modeling is a strong strategy!   (Gonzalez-Mena, 2010). 

2.    Consider asking more questions than you normally would, in order to clarify meaning and messages (Beebe, Beebe,& Redmond, 2011). 

3.    We must remember that self-reflection and consideration of the contextual nature of the communication event is mandatory (Vuckovic, 2008).

Reference

 Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2011). Interpersonal communication: Relating to others (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2010). 50 strategies for communicating and working with diverse families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

"Understanding and Appreciating Cultural Differences" (pp. 36–38)

Vuckovic, A. (2008). Inter-cultural communication: A foundation of communicative action. Multicultural Education and Technology Journal, 2(1), 47–59.

Watching The New Girl 2 Times!

This week we are tasked to watch a show without sound to describe what we think is happening. I chose a show I used to watch (Don't watch television too much lately, only Youtube). I chose New Girl. It is a comedy based on the roommates. Think about a mixture between, Three's Company mixed in with a little of The Office, with some hints of I Love Lucy antics.  

What do you think the characters' relationships are based on the ways in which they are communicating?

I haven't seen this in well over a year, so there are some new characters. It appears that there is a new friend joining the group. And I couldn't tell what is happening in the second part of the story. I was very confused.

What are they feeling and expressing based on the nonverbal behavior you are observing?

The group is all over the place. It doesn't appear to be funny. Part of it seems silly, yet I have no idea what is happening. 

Then I watched the show with the sound turned on.

What assumptions did you make about the characters and plot based on the ways in which you interpreted the communication you observed?

Ok, so I get it now. The "new friend" is actually the sister of the main character. The second storyline involves one person trying to get a job after failing the police academy exam. This entire storyline looked serious and dramatic, but when hearing the dialogue I can tell it is all silly with tons of jokes and sarcastic remarks.Would your assumptions have been more correct if you had been watching a show you know well?

This is a show I used to know well, so NO it doesn't help. I couldn't tell what the show was presenting at all.

Communication

Hello to my new classmates!
This week we are asked to present someone who has a communication style that we appreciate. I don't watch a lot of television so my main source of news and entertainment is the internet.

One place I get my information is a Youtube channel called TheLipTV.  They parent documentary reviews and news stories.  One of the shows on that show is called Crime Time.   Allison Hope Wiener is the shows main presenter and her presentation method is one that I appreciate. She often speaks of criminal cases and she never uses judgment in her narrative.  She is an attorney so she also knows what she is speaking about and uses case law, previous cases, and evidence to present her point of view. She has a keen sense of humor and brings on many guests who are leaders in the field.

Goals, Hopes, and Thank You!

 

One hope that I have when thinking about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is to maintain momentum and the commitment to learning and advocating for children of diverse backgrounds.

                                              

One goal you would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice (any format and any length)

I have a million professional goals running around in my head. Sometimes I want to continue my education, sometimes I want to work with younger students, sometimes I want to work in the advocacy arena of early childhood. With each new article and study we review my goals change a bit. That is the beauty of continuing our education, we learn of more opportunity available to us!

I would like to thank each of you for working with me throughout this course. I have enjoyed learning about you and look forward to seeing you in our last classes together. We are very close!

Have a great summer and keep on, keepin’ on!!

Eritrea

Eritrea

Eritrea's population comprises nine ethnic groups, most of which speak Semitic or Cushitic languages. The Tigrinya and Tigre make up four-fifths of the population and speak different, but related and somewhat mutually intelligible, Semitic languages. In general, most of the Christians live in the highlands, while Muslims and adherents of traditional beliefs live in lowland regions. Tigrinya and Arabic are the most frequently used languages for commercial and official transactions. In urban areas, English is widely spoken and is the language used for secondary and university education.

Retrieved from http://www.infoplease.com/country/profiles/eritrea.html

 

In order to be culturally responsive I will do more research on the country. I will read the child’s registration documents to find out about the work of the family. This may lead me to know about their economic position. I will ask the registrar about the parents’ level of English in order to plan for our first meeting.

During our first meeting, I will share that I am thrilled to have a student from Eritrea in my class. (Letting them know I would love to know more about their home country). I will ask questions at our meeting in order to find out about their culture in order to plan appropriately.

*By doing this, I will learn about the family. Knowing more about the family will allow me to be respectful of the child’s culture and act in a way that supports the values of the family. Honoring the child’s culture will make his/her transition into American education system less cumbersome. Children are interested in new places and people and being able to share a small bit about the child could make it easier to develop new friendships.

Eritrea's nine nationalities
Tigrinya woman	Rashaida woman
Afar woman	Tigre woman
Kunama woman	Saho woman
Nara woman	Hedareb woman
Bilen woman	One heart

Sometimes I'm To Blame..

The memories I have of incidents when I witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression occur almost weekly. As a teacher in a diverse school filled with an equally diverse staff affords me the chances to witness relationships, encounters, and exchanges between those two groups. Most instances are subtle, even non- recognizable to others, but as we are studying micro-aggressions, I am hyper focused on what I witness.

Dr. Sue Laureate, 2010

 

The first of these instances places me as the unintentional aggressor. I teach kindergarten, and we allow, and encourage parents to come up and have lunch with their children. The parents can assist other children that may need it, and it helps to build community in our class. One child had a rough beginning. He arrived speaking no English, and having never been in a learning setting away from his mom. He tried to run away, and we had to “bar the door” to keep him from running out. Very quickly, he realized school was safe and fun and began to tell his mom not to wait outside our door. Mom would arrive at lunch, and hand feed him. It was as if he was a toddler and couldn’t do it himself. In the beginning, I would tell her “No, he can do it on his own.” Because of mom’s limited English, she didn’t understand my words, but she did feel my condemnation. After returning after the Winter Break, I no longer said anything. The child was making such incredible progress that I wanted her to focus on that.

          When beginning this class, I recognized my micro-aggressions towards this family and have changed my approach. I realize that meals, and the way they are handled are part of this family’s culture and I have no right to impede on their methods. This child has pushed back in small steps and he no longer lets her feed him, and their methods naturally move away from this. What I overlooked is the bonding that occurs during these lunches. I overlooked her motives for seeing her child each day. That was my error.

 

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In order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity, I simply checked my ego. It was my ego that said, “Kindergarteners can’t be helped to eat their lunch.” “They are too big for help.” When we check our own biases and let go of the implied power we hold, it puts parents and teachers on a more level playing field. Teachers don’t need to play a power card in order to be effective.  

At this time of year, I am right here with this....Happy "Almost Summer Teachers!"