Micro Aggressions

It didn't happen this week, but it has happened often in relationship to me having daughters that are born in Russia.

"Why didn't you adopt in the US? There are many needy children here."

"Do your girls know their REAL mom?"

"Don't you hate it that your girls were born in Russia since they are so against the US?"

It could go on and on..Most don't mean to be ignorant, but it is exhausting at times to here these things..When I adopted, Russian American relations were fine, and now that we hate each other, I get the comments much more. Thank you Putin.

I just hope that my girls don't here it too much when I am not around. I don't want that stress on them.

Week 3

Many friends consider the history of their family to be part of their culture. Language, religion, ethnicity, and traditions, are the main elements that most colleagues used to define CULTURE.

Many consider diversity as different races, cultures, religious groups and political affiliations.

Because I gathered my results from coworkers, we tend to share very similar ideas on culture and diversity. 

Culture and Diversity

I have loads of friends who are from different countries, faiths, and points of view...
Most think that culture is about Where they come from..What their family finds valuable..And Why families hold these beliefs...

Some of my friends face micro-agression as indicated by Dr. Sue. Most on a basic level, by well meaning friends. I have always heard adoptive parents speak of the comments made to them, but honestly I have never been affected by those comments. Beleive me, I hear them too.

--WOW, your daughters look like they could be your REAL daughters.---
How much did you pay for your daughter?---
---Couldn't you adopt in American?---
---Do your daughters know their real mom?---

But being the comments come from well meaning people, I let it go..AND because these microaggressions are the least of who I am, I let them go..I am so much more than an adopted mother, and the comments are mild at best..I haven't faced them all my life, nor do people make them unless they know I am an adoptive mother, which is my choice to share...So, as Pete the Cat says, "I am allll goooood."

Memories

(I began this course several months ago and had to drop it due to some family chaos, I wrote this during the first time through the course..and it still holds true!)

If relocating to a new country, the three items I would take is a small, Rolling Thunder Bible, a small Christmas tree, and a photo album from a family trip to Disney World.

The Rolling Thunder Bible was given to my eldest daughter when she and her aunt when to the festival in 2006. Later that year I took that Bible to Russia to meet my second adopted daughter. While meeting her, I placed her foot on one of the empty pages and traced the outline of it so I would know how big her foot was at that time. These are precious memories that connect my sister, both of my daughters, Russia and my faith. I treasure this Bible.

The Christmas tree represents one of our favorite American holidays. Our family gathers together and has time to be with each other. eat our favorite foods, and attend holiday services at Christmas Time.

The photo album from our Disney Trip shows a traditional American vacation. We celebrated our birthdays there, and both grandparents were there to watch the fun!

 

I would be angry if, upon arrival, I were told that I could only keep one personal  item.

For me, culture is most about family and love. It’s not things, but traditions that bring families together.

EECERJ

I chose the EECERJ website, and once I landed on it, I realized I have been here before..And I was just as irritated this time as I was last time.  I know we have all seen this type of web site that ruins it for the organization. I bet this group does valuable projects, but after spending a second night clicking, going back, refreshing, scratching my head and trying different areas, I realize...I should have chosen a different group..but too late, so ::

What are some of the current international research topics?

This website didn't list any CURRENT articles. Most recent are from 2011.


What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website?
This website is horrible to review! I spent the better part of an hour just trying to find something substantial that this group has contributed. It's altogether very possible that this group has done amazing things, but the website is just a circular maze of nothingness..
Who we are, our contacts, etc...yet it appears from the surface it is a group that exists just to exist..I hope this is not the case..Most of the site describes how to submit, who decides what gets accepted, BUT where are the articles????
**Little background, I contacted about 10 people from the Country contacts and either landed on dead links or never got a reply..TACKKY!! I had hoped to use this site for assistance and found a lot of dead ends!

What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?

As I stated earlier, nothing can be readily found on this site..You have to actually leave the site and head over to Taylor Francis to find any of the journal articles..Except you can't get to them without way too much fuss..
I ended up finding the articles, most from 2011, so I have to wonder what's this group been doing with their dues for the last couple of years??

The Magical Sea

I have often considered an area of research concerning the secure attachment in adopted children through the use of water therapy, specifically, the ocean therapy..I have never read about this, and because this is so specific, I almost doubt that the research is out there.

The area of attachment for adopted children often leads to false diagnosis, inappropriate medications being prescribed, behavior therapy, and at the most tragic end, the disruption of the adoption...

Our family has spent our summers in Florida since becoming a part of the adoption world..When I adopted the first time, my daughter and I spent hours together floating in the ocean..For hours. And the time we spent together seemed to solidify our union..I always said, there is magic in the sea. And I still believe it..

This weekend, we are in Florida for our family reunion. And once again our little family is together splashing in the waves, sitting in the sand, and doing a lot of starring into the sea, the magical sea..If I had all the time and money in the world, I would develop a program for struggling adoptive families, or any family that may have experienced intense stressors or trauma. The magic of the ocean needs to be put into a scientific equation to help develop trust, and build attachment..

from many years ago..building our love of the sea, and each other

This is the basis of my belief...The sea is magical and helps heal..

creating a sisterly bond...

And all these years later...

2014

Research Simulation English Language Learner Math Assessment Accommodations

“Math test accommodations for English Language Learners in kindergarten” is my chosen topic for our current simulation.

I chose this area for simulation, as the KMRA testing instrument is currently used in kindergarten students in the district where I teach. This instrument is blind to language ability, yet requires each child to describe and explain math processes with specific vocabulary. There are seven tasks that each child must master.

Each child must explain the elements of the tasks, explain the actions of the tasks, and use the required vocabulary of the task.

Other topics considered were too broad in scope

Completing the research chart on a given study highlighted the process of forming a “purpose” of a simulated study. The research chart also allowed for a narrowing of the participants of a simulated study. For purposes of my particular simulation, I would use all students in my kindergarten class. Those who are not English Language Learners, as classified by the parent report measure at registration, would be used as a control group.

As a first step, I have begun an exhaustive search in regards to language acquisition, receptive and expressive language, and English Language Learners. Due to the assessment requirement of using language and vocabulary during the KMRA testing process, understanding language acquisition processes are critical. Below is a concise charts highlighting the basic tenants these constructs.

Hill & Miller (2013).  I will continue compiling current research in order to plan.

References

Hill, J. D., & Miller, K. B. (2013). Classroom instruction that works with English language 

                      learners. ASCD.