Time Well Spent

Wow! I cannot believe that this is the final week of not only this course, but our program. When I started my MS in Early Childhood, I could not see this day. I imagine it would come one day, but I did not imagine the joy and also the sadness.  Yes, joy at completing my program of study and another personal accomplishment, but sadness at leaving a place I have become comfortable in being. For the past 2 years, I have been a student, wife, mother, teacher, and business owner. I have also worked with teachers and colleagues that have become an extended part of my family.

            

I will forever treasure the time I have spent with all of you. The knowledge I have gained through our discussions, blogs, and assignments will be invaluable to me as I continue on my journey. My three deeply felt learnings from this program are:

1.      I am part of something much bigger than myself.

2.      Although I may think of change, it is much easier to invoke change with the assistance of others.

3.      This program has provided me with a community of practice among my peers, in which I can collaborate and consult on important issues in the early childhood field.

My primary initial long-term goal is to continue to further my education. I plan to begin working towards my doctorate.

            

Thank you, Dr. E.  for all of your sage advice, words of wisdom, but most of all your words of encouragement. Thanks for being my champion and hero. I will forever remember you, as I continue on my educational and personal journey,

To my colleagues, words cannot express the heart-felt thanks I extend to each and every one of you, for richly adding to my learning experiences, but most importantly my personal and professional growth. I am forever indebted to you all. Now, I challenge you all to continue our journey by pursuing our doctoral degree!

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

http://www.unicef.org/

I was inspired by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).2015 Agenda for Everychild in which World leaders are setting out a roadmap for human progress over the next 15 years. Known as the Sustainable Development Goals, these new global targets will drive investment and action in virtually every country on earth, touching millions of lives. That is why it is vital that every child, girls and boys alike, is included – and that children everywhere are at the heart of the new global agenda. 2015 should be a year of global action for children, engaging everyone to include governments, institutions, corporations, communities, families, and individuals in every country to demand and drive change for every child, especially the most disadvantaged and vulnerable.

Position:  Representative, P,-5, Gaborone, Botswana

If you are a passionate and committed professional and want to make a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.
UNICEF, the world’s leading organization working for the rights of children, seeks a Representative, P-5, and Gaborone, Botswana.

Job Description: Be responsible for overall development, formulation, conception and management of UNICEF Country Programme of Cooperation (small to medium size CO), approved by the Executive Board. 

• Represent the Executive Director in all aspects of UNICEF's co-operation with the Government/Country Office. Collaborate as part of the UNCT in this regard.
• Be accountable for the formulation and management of the UNICEF Country Programme of Co-operation, as approved by the Executive Board. 
• Be accountable for UNICEF's advocacy with the government and other partners for the enhancement of the survival, protection, development and participation of children and women in national development efforts. 
• Be responsible for all aspects of office management of the UNICEF country office. 
• Support implementation of the UNICEF supported emergency programme, ensuring that the Situation Analysis and EPRP are regularly updated. 
• Participate in organizational and institutional initiatives to strengthen UN Coherence. Ensure that joint programming (including joint programmes) and common services are achieved to the extent possible.
• Provide policy support, guidance and advocacy on the development and establishment of common services arrangements agreed to by participating organizations/agencies at the country level.  To ensure that these joint operational arrangements, assist UNICEF in its objective to provide efficient and economical support services to the implementation of the country programme.
• Provide policy support, guidance and advocacy as required in emergency situations and other humanitarian programme implementation. Collaborate as part of the UNCT in this regard.

 Minimum Requirements: 

• Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Governance, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines.
• Ten years of relevant professional work experience.  Experience in programme/ projects management and building strategic alliances and partnerships/resource mobilization.
• International and Developing country work experience and field work experience. 
• Background/familiarity with Emergency.
• Rights-based and Results-based approach and programming in UNICEF.
• Integration and synthesis of various programme activities in accordance with professional practices and UNICEF programme policy, procedures and guidelines.
• Expert knowledge of advanced concepts in primary discipline, with a broad knowledge of related disciplines, in-depth knowledge of relevant organizational policies and procedures.
• Fluency in English. Other UN language an asset.

Save the Children 

http://www.savethechildren.org

Save the Children gives children in the United States and around the world what every child deserves a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and care when disaster strikes. We save children's lives. Please invest in children's futures and support our mission.

Position – Director of Federal Government Relations for Early Childhood Education – Washington, DC

Job Description: The Director of Federal Government Relations (GR), for Early Childhood Education (ECE) will manage the overall federal ECE issue portfolio identifying opportunities to advance ECE legislative initiatives.  He/she will develop and manage relationships at the federal level with the Hill, Administration and organizations that align with SCAN’s ECE priorities.  The Director will develop legislative strategy and oversee tactical implementation of ECE legislative initiatives.  He/she will work closely with the Associate Director of GR, ECE, other SCAN departments and Save the Children’s United States Programs (USP). Essential Duties, Responsibilities and Impact:    Manage ECE Issue Portfolio & Develop Strategy: ·         The Director will manage the ECE federal issue portfolio identifying legislation to advance ECE priorities.  ·         He/she will develop legislative and funding strategies in coordination with the Senior Director of GR to advance SCAN priorities. ·         The Director will work in conjunction with existing ECE Coalitions and feed into their strategies when aligned with SCAN’s priorities.   Develop, Maintain & Manage External Relationships: ·         The Director will develop, maintain and manage bipartisan and bicameral relationships on the Hill with a focus on key committees of jurisdiction and members in leadership. This also includes relationships with the White House and relevant agencies along with the ECE advocacy community.  ·         He/she will be SCAN’s primary point of contact for ECE federal policy.   Develop Advocacy & Educational Initiatives: ·         The Director will spearhead and develop initiatives with strategic partners, when appropriate, to educate our congressional targets and the Administration on our ECE legislative policy. This includes but is not limited to sharing SCAN’s policy positions and Save the Children’s reports through holding briefings. In doing so, SCAN will be positioned as a strong advocate and thought leader in the ECE space on the federal level.   Internal Coordination with SCAN & USP: ·         The Director will work closely with the Associate Director of GR, ECE to ensure federal and state strategy are coordinated and appropriately aligned. Additionally, they will strategically identify opportunities for the Associate Director to contribute to the federal ECE issue portfolio. ·         He/she will work with the Mobilization team to identify where there is a need to generate grassroots and grass-tops support for influencing federal policy. ·         He/she will work with the communications team to determine how best to influence key federal decision makers through communication tactics. ·         The Director will work with the political team to identify possible federal targets to either support or oppose based on their ECE record. ·         He/she will communicate SCAN’s ECE federal initiatives to USP and work together when priorities are aligned.   Monitoring, Accountability & Administrative: ·         The Director will monitor achievement of predetermined objectives, grant responsibilities, including contributing to reporting, expenditure and administration. Required Background, Experience, Skills and Behaviors: ·         Minimum 10 years professional experience, with at least four years of demonstrated leadership on Capitol Hill on a Committee of jurisdiction. ·         Strong familiarity with the legislative process, including both authorizations and appropriations processes and a demonstrated track record of legislative successes (bills passed, budgets increased, etc.) ·         Established networks and contacts within senior Washington governmental and nongovernmental ECE policy circles. ·         Bachelor's degree required - Master’s Degree preferred  ·         Experience working in a campaign or initiative a plus.

Children International

www.children.org/

Position: Vice President of Development

Children International, a $190 million international humanitarian organization, is seeking a dynamic leader to serve as Vice President of Development. In this challenging position, you will quickly discover that we address poverty's root causes by working directly with children and youth around the world instead of through community development. Why? Because we believe that children and youth are the single best answer to breaking the cycle of poverty, especially generational poverty.

Job Description:

We’re looking for an individual who has the personality and skills to strengthen relationships with existing donors, an innovative nature to reach out in new and compelling ways to develop new donor funding streams, and the ability to create the strategy and tactics needed to elevate the CI brand within the foundation community and other untapped areas. This job is critical to the future of CI. It promises to be challenging. But it will be worth it.

Responsibilities include:

 • Developing a strategic plan for educating and engaging target donors that is consistent with Children International's brand positioning

 • Developing a tactical plan that enables Children International to achieve both near-term and long-term financial objectives

• Leading the implementation of a tactical plan that achieves the strategic objectives through cross-functional collaboration

• Developing, leading and managing a high-performing and empowered donor development team

• Collaborating with other functional areas to provide donors and prospective donors with an extraordinary experience with Children International

• Managing the day-to-day operations of Children International's development initiatives, including results, reporting, budgets, communications, and multiple initiatives supporting revenue generation and the donor experience

Qualifications:

 • Exceptional interpersonal, relational and communication skills • Intelligent, visionary, inspiring, humble, high-energy leader

 • High capacity to learn

 • Well-rounded and entrepreneurial business leader

• Passionate about children and youth and making a difference in the world

 • 10 years senior management experience, preferably in development

• Significant experience in developing and empowering diverse teams

• Ability to role model and inspire phenomenal collaboration across functions

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred

• Proven track record in transforming an organization's outcomes

• Relentlessly results-oriented with demonstrated ability to reliably achieve strategic objectives

• Experience researching, identifying, nurturing and engaging external partners that align with the organization's objectives

• Demonstrated ability to achieve outcomes within established resources

• A strong understanding of technology and the role it can play in developing new funding streams • International travel experience and exposure • Bilingual in Spanish/English is a plus

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

U.S. Department Education – Institute of Education Sciences

Position – Public Affairs Specialist

This position is located at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) in Washington, D.C. IES is the research arm of the U.S. Department of Education. Its mission is to provide reliable evidence on which to ground education practice and policy, and to share this information broadly. By identifying what works, what doesn't, and why, IES aims to improve educational outcomes for all students, particularly those at risk of educational failure. With an annual budget of over $550 million and a staff of approximately 180 people, IES supports a wide range of research, statistics, assessment, and evaluation activities. Its work is carried out by four centers:

Skills and Qualifications -A bachelor's degree or equivalent degree. OR
Applicants are expected to possess the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) listed below to qualify for this position. These KSAs are addressed in the self-assessment questionnaire that you will complete for this announcement. You do not need to respond separately to the KSAs listed below. Your answers to the on-line experience questions will serve as responses to the KSAs. Your application will be evaluated based on your ability to demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities/competencies (KSAs):

National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families – Zero to Three

ZERO TO THREE is a national, nonprofit organization that provides parents, professionals and policymakers the knowledge and know-how to nurture early development.

Job Title: Program Manager, Resource Development Department: National Center on Early Head Start-Child Care (EHS-CC) Partnerships

Qualifications and skills:

Knowledge, Skills and Experience · Excellent knowledge of and experience with the infants and toddlers, Early Head Start program, child care programs and systems, including Family Child Care, the Child Care and Development Fund, the Head Start Program Performance Standards and early childhood partnerships at state and local levels · At least ten years of experience in the early childhood field at various levels; at least five years of successful program or project leadership experience and supervision · Experience and capability in results-based work, using logic models and tracking outcomes · Clear and concise writing skills; effective verbal communication and public speaking skills · Effective training and technical assistance skills that reflect principles of adult learning, leadership, reflective supervision and team processing · Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills; successful experience working and communicating with diverse people · Ability to work independently as well as in a team structure; ability to manage multiple tasks and be flexible · Ability to travel required Essential Qualities · Encourages and practices critical thinking

Education Master’s degree in early childhood development or a related field preferred; Bachelor’s degree in early childhood or a related field required.

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood-National Center – Implements and sustains programs and strategies that result in a well-educated, fairly compensated and stable early childhood workforce to ensure the long term success of our nation’s children in school and in life.

Job Title: Specialist, Infant Toddler Educ.

 The Specialist, Infant Toddler Education develops and delivers high quality professional development events for early child care and education program staff in an effort to increase knowledge and skills around providing quality infant and toddler group care to support early development and learning.

 Education and Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, or related field plus or including at least 6 birth to five focused semester hours; Master’s degree preferred. • At least three years of experience in working with infants and toddlers and their families or the programs that serve them; two years’ experience in the Infant Toddler Enhancement Project preferred • Experience in developing and conducting high quality early childhood professional development opportunities.

References

U.S. Department Education – Institute of Education Sciences

www.ed.gov

National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families – Zero to Three

www.zerotothree.org/

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood-National Center

www.childcareservices.org/ps/teach

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

National Association for the Education of Young Children-NAEYC

I choose this association because it keys in on all the major components for the development of children from birth to age 8. During this time children are like sponges, they are absorbing as much as they can and learning themselves also. Having educators that are more diverse and dynamic in early childhood will help them to work harder and be passionate about the advancement of young children. There is one position that is available that interest me, Senior Director, NAEYC for Early Childhood Program Accreditation. The following skills would be needed;

·         Demonstrated leadership and management skills administering early childhood systems and quality improvement initiatives.  Demonstrated track record of staff supervision that motivates excellent performance and supports ongoing staff development.

·         Excellent organizational, communication and interpersonal skills.

·         Strong conceptual and analytic skills and talent for innovation.

National Center for Children in Poverty-NCCP

This association focuses on the family economic security, strong nurturing families and healthy child development. This association focuses on low-income families and children, they promote family-oriented solutions at the state and national levels. There is one position that is available that interest me, Qualitative Research Assistant. The following skills would be needed;

·         Recruit participants into the study using approved methodologies

·         Schedule focus group sessions for study participants

National Early Childhood Program Accreditation-NECPA

            

This association focuses on supporting children and early educators through mentor program, webinars, workshops and online resources. Primarily, the self-assessment process which involves parents, staff and program management encourages all to work together to reach for a higher level of quality. The one position that interest me was a Certified NECPA Verifier. The following skills would be needed;  Ensure children are stimulated in healthy, nurturing and developmentally appropriate environments.  Strengthens your child advocacy mission.

·         Cultivates a greater awareness for unparalleled quality in early childhood landscapes.

·         Focuses on the five founding principles; integrity, pursuit of excellence, responsibility, reliability and commitment.

Reflecting on Learning

My most passionate hope for my future while working with young children and their families is that every child be afforded the opportunity to receive high quality education, regardless of race, gender, economic class, language, culture, religion, etc. And also to continue to make every effort to create an anti-bias setting that is rich in possibilities for exploring cultural diversity.

Thank you colleagues for sharing you most inner thoughts, hopes and dreams. The knowledge and information I've gained from each of your experiences has truly been an inspiration.  Over the course of the last several months I've cultivated friendships beyond the classroom and I look forward to continuing those friendships and collaborating with those of you in the near future.

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

Impacts on Early Emotional Development 

The region of the world I chose to investigate was West and Central Africa.  After investigating the region I elected to focus on the country Guinea.  Guinea is located on the west coast of Africa, its population is approximately 7.5 million with almost half of the population under the age of fifteen.  Guinea is one of the world's poorest countries. Despite its natural resources and abundant rainfall, Guinea has low life expectancy, a low doctor-patient ratio, and a high rate of infant mortality. The country remains largely rural, and 80 percent of the population is involved in agricultural production. Many people can afford to eat only once a day. Their meals are frequently low in protein, and many children and adults suffer from malnutrition.

Guinea was one of countries that was effected by the worst Ebola outbreak on record, 773 children in Guinea alone have lost both parents to the disease.   And the fate of these grieving kids and those in other parts of West Africa who were orphaned by the virus, were in jeopardy when family members abandoned them or refused to take them in due to concerns that they could spread the disease, which has claimed more than 9,000 lives.  According to the aid organization, an estimated 16,000 children in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone lost one parent, both parents or their primary caregivers to Ebola.

The experiences of these children watching a parent die, and having to worry about who was going to take care of them or where they were going to stay no doubt had a tremendous effect on the children’s emotional wellbeing and development.

As an early childhood professionals, we should all take the opportunity to help improve child protection services for all vulnerable children.  Become a voice to address other forms of vulnerability that some of our young children may be facing on a daily basis.

References

UNICEF (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/guinea.html

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

The mere fact that there is actually a topic such as sexualization of early childhood is just unthinkable. Growing up in the early 1960’s as a child, we were not exposed to the sexually explicit terms and images that our young children are exposed too today in a world that I consider as being oversexualized world.   It wasn’t until deregulation of television in the 1980’s which allowed an increase in violent and sexually explicit TV programming that depicted little boys as being told they have to be macho and ready to fight and sending the message to girls that being just pretty and sweet is not enough but they have to be sexy and sexualized as well. As much as parents and/or early childhood educators would like to protect our children from these sexually explicit terms and images at such an early age, children are sure to encounter sexually explicit photos and lyrics from the media, their peers and the school environment.  

Our goal as educators and parents should be to help keep them safe first and far most and keep an open dialogue with our young children to allow them to ask questions about what they see and how they feel about themselves in regards to the sexually explicit terms and images they may encounter.  Help them to understand the images they see and come in contact with does not define who they are as a person, or what they should wear, or how they should or should not look. 

Because of the growing age of technology, it’s nearly impossible to protect children from exposure to sexual imagery in the media and popular culture.  Most children as early as the age of three have hand held computers or access to computers in their home, videos games and their own TV in their bedrooms with little or no parental guidance as to what type of music they are listening too or TV programs they watch.

In order to counteract sexualization in early childhood both parents and educators will have to narrow such stereotypes of boys and girls in commercial culture by helping boys learn alternatives to tough and violent behavior and encouraging girls to be physically active and independent, rather than focusing on their appearance and sexiness.

Reference

Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction]. So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf

Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

There are no words to describe how racism feels. Everyone deals with it differently. Some people lash out verbally, others withdraw into themselves. Some people can talk openly about how it feels, others hide it deep within. It’s imperative that we talk to our children and prepare them for the possibility that they might experience racism. 

Most ethnic minority parents teach their children about their culture by passing down information and traditions from their country of origin. However, research suggests, with the exception of African-American families, they are less likely to talk to their children about what it means to be a minority in a country that is primarily Caucasian and discuss experiences related to discrimination and racial teasing they might experience because of their ethnic differences (Caughy, Nettles, O’Campo, and Lohrfink,  2002). Preparing children for racist interactions is important because it allows them to attribute the discrimination and bullying to the bully, not to a personal defect within themselves or with their culture, and will encourage them to talk about it, if when it occurs.  

As early childhood professional young children look to us as role models, so by being assertive it teaches them to find their own voice and to stand up for themselves and others who are being teased. My girlfriend, who is Korean, constantly experienced racial slurs at her job as pet groomer from co-workers to point where she quite a job.  It’s important that we, the community as a whole get involve and stand up for what is right. 

If we as educators know racial teasing or discrimination is occurring in our school, in our neighborhood, I believe we should get organized and get support to stop it.  Don’t ignore racism if you see it. It doesn’t go away if you close your eyes and don’t look.

Reference

Caughy, M. O., Nettles, S. M., O’Campo, P. J., & Lohrfink, K. F. (2005). Racial socialization and African American child development: The importance of neighborhood context. Paper presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Atlanta, GA.

Observing Communication

This week we were asked to observe communication between an adult and a young child.  While in Walmart waiting an extremely line check-out line, I decided to take this opportunity to complete this week’s observation assignment.  A mother and a child who was no more than three years old was ahead of me in the check-out line.  The mother seemed very agitated because the child keep taking items off of the rack near the check-out line and throwing them in the cart.  After constantly telling the child no, and taking the thrown items out of the cart, the child began to scream and told her mother, “I want my daddy”.  The mother tried reasoning with the child to no avail, as the child continue to throw items into the cart and continued to ignore her mother’s response of No.  When the mother finally reached the cashier and began taking her items out of the cart, the child began screaming and hitting her mother in the chest.  The mother tried to hold the child’s arms while attempting to unload her cart at the same time. After several minutes of watching this scene between the mother and child, I found myself feeling sorry for the mother as another women immediately behind her offered to hold the child while she unload her cart only to refuse her help and struggled to resist the swinging child hands while unloading her cart. 

Finally after paying the cashier and pushing the cart out the door.  The mother yells at the child saying, wait until your father hears about how you’ve behaved.

In this particular scene it was hard to determine who the parent was, and who the child was.  Because the child clearly was use too getting her way.  The mother showed no type of meaningful communication with the child other than saying “no, no, no, no” to the child.  Instead of trying to communicate to the child that it’s not nice to try to hit mommy, or maybe say to child “you wouldn’t like it if mommy hit you in the chest, would you?”  Maybe, if the mother took just a few moment prior to reaching the cashier to communicate to the child that what she is doing is not good and that good little girls don’t behave that way.  Instead she showed no emotions or any attempt to communicate with the child.  Children sometimes act out to receive attention from a parent who they feel is neglecting them.

Creating Affirming Environments

Helping children accept and honor differences can create good memories and support multicultural understanding.  We can never know exactly what someone else is feeling.  But we can continually support the growth of empathy by creating a culture of kindness.  As an early childhood professional I believe it is important for us to make a point to discuss diversity and feature the heritage of students in our classroom.  With that being said, I would invite family members to come into the classroom and share their customs and traditions.  For example maybe have a Native American parent come in talk to the children about their customs from their culture and have the children help make table top Indian teepees or make pottery, while explaining to the children how a person’s culture and background can teach honor and respect for their history.  I would have a library filled with books that illustrate diversity where the children can read and explore the different parts of the world.  I would also have an arts and craft area where the children would be encourage to create collages or pictures that represent something from their culture or the different countries around the world as we explore diversity.

During story time instead of always reading a book to the children, I would have the children tell the class stories that were told to them by their grandparents, which are usually stories passed on from generation to generation. The children learned about courage and determination, and reflect on valuable lessons about tolerance, integrity, and generosity.

Children are curious and notice the difference in others, they ask questions so I believe talking openly with children about cultural, racial, and language differences is very important in creating an anti-bias learning environment.

For the infants and toddlers, I would have parents to bring in songs and lullabies in their home language and play these at nap or quiet time.  I would also invite parents to read stories in other languages and tell the children the meaning in English.

I’d also like to have an area that displays different careers, talents and hobbies that represent the many different cultures and backgrounds and possible invite parents and people from the community that can come in and represent the different careers.

What I Have Learned

The one hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is to be able to always find a medium, one where everyone no matter what culture, class, race, greed, nationality or sexual orientation, that I will be able to create an anti-bias environment where everyone will feel welcome.

The one goal I like to set for the EC field related to issues of diversity, equity and social justice is that we must teach our children to honor cultural diversity in the classrooms, it’s easy to celebrate what we can see, hear, or taste, such as food, art, crafts, music, costumes and customs, but what I am referring to is to honoring cultural diversity by being sensitive and respectful to the differences in other belief, values, practices as well family traditions.

And finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues for sharing their insights, knowledge and success over the course of the last eight week.  It has certainly been a rewarding experience. 

The Crayon Box That Talked

While walking into a toy store the day before today

I overheard a crayon box with many things to say

“I don’t like Red!” said Yellow and Green said “Nor do I”

“And no one her likes Orange but no knows just why”

“We are a box of crayons that doesn't get along

Said Blue to all the others “Something here is wrong”

Well, I bought that box of crayons and took it home with me

And laid out all the colors so the crayons all could see

They watched me as I colored with Red, Blue and Green

And Black, White and Orange and every color in between

They watched as green became the grass and Blue became the sky

The Yellow sun was shining bright on White clouds drifting by

Colors changing as they touched becoming something new

They watch me as I colored – they watched me till I was through

And when I finally finished I began to walk away

And as I did the crayon box had something more to say

“I do like Red!” said Yellow and Green said, “so do I”

And Blue you were terrific! So high up in the sky

“We are a box of crayons each one of us unique

But when we get together the picture is more complete”

                                                             Shane DeRolf

I’ve always tried to incorporate attention to diversity and equity into the classroom, however this course as given me a tools to help me more created in the classroom by creating a program environment that is inclusive, multicultural and reflects the communities of the children I serve.

"We Don't Say Those Words”

 Hello everyone, and Happy Valentine’s Day. 

I have a child in my class who has a birth mark on her face right above a left eye.  On more than one occasion I’ve overhead a few of the other children asked her “what’s that on your eye” or “why do you have that boo boo on your face”.  She never replied she’d just run away or continue playing.  On this one particular day we were out on the playground and one of the other children “screamed run from her she has a disease on her face that can make you sick”.  Immediately the child started crying because all of the other kids ran to the other side of the slide.  I walked over to the child kneeled down comforted her, once I got her to stop crying I called for recess to be over and we all went back inside.  I asked the little boy to apologize to the little for making her cry.  I also explained to him as well as the other children that the scar on the little girls face was a birthmark, and that we all have a birthmark, I should them my birthmark which was located on my upper left arm.  I told the children that birthmarks comes in all different shapes, sizes and that some birthmarks can also look like a scare like the one on Dena’s face.  A few of the other kids begin pointing out on their legs and arms what they believed or were told by their parents their birthmarks.  It turned out to be a very interesting discussion.  One child believed his birthmark looked like a hammer while others began to pull-up their shirts to show the other children marks on their upper shoulder or the lower part of their stomach.  By end of the discussion the kids were telling Dena that her birthmark looked like a baby butterfly.  She was laughing enjoying the comments she was getting about her birthmark.

Several weeks later I found out that a family member of the little boy who lived on the West coast had did from Aids.  I believe that the child must have overheard someone talking about the lesions this person may have had and related this to the remark he had made about Dena.

Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

Being able to include and welcome all families is an important in the early childhood classroom.  When a child’s family includes same-sex parents, we has early childhood educators should not make either these families rather they are Gay or lesbian families, feel invisible are excluded.

When families who different from the traditional family norm feel included and welcomed into the early childhood classroom, children are introduced to the richness of diversity (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  Anti-bias curriculum guides encourage educators to discuss and introduce children as early as possible to diversity, including family diversity, as one means of stemming prejudice, yet many educators have reported feeling discomfort in welcoming families headed by gays or lesbians (Souto-Manning & Hermann-Wilmarth, 2008).