Hopes and Dreams in the Early Childhood Field

 Hopes

    As I continue forward in my career of working with diverse children and families I hope to be open-minded, challenge my perspectives, and have the families and children I am working with feel comfortable and free to voice their thoughts, opinions, and goals for their child’s developmental journey.

Goals

    

    My goal in the field of early childhood in terms of diversity is to inspire empathy and widen minds, eyes, ears, and hearts to new perspectives. Although I know this will not happen overnight and I can’t change everyone’s minds or perspectives, I want to inspire and demonstrate the idea of tolerance, empathy, and acceptance for all. I want all the children under my care to feel love, supported, and accepted for whoever they are in terms of both their family culture and self-identities.

                                                                              Thank You

            I would like to say thank you to all my peers and professor in this course for expanding and challenging my own thoughts and ideas on biases and stereotypes of different cultures and identities. Thank you for allowing me to see through a different pair of eyes and helping me accept and own up to hidden biases. Self-reflection and self-love go hand in hand with our developmental process of learning and growing.

                                                                                Reference

    

                        Smith S. N.d. Moving Forward and Keeping the Work Going. http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6357/CH/mm/audio_player/index_week8.html

 

Seeing Diversity: Resiliance and Growth over the Years

 

https://www.canva.com/join/ybd-tkl-tzb

           In this course, I learned about hidden biases and stereotypes formed from my family culture and those I have adapted to because of perceptions of various minority groups and isms that I see portrayals of throughout various media platforms. Before embarking on my journey here at Walden University, I saw myself as an outsider constantly feeling pressured to blend into the majority and dominant culture surrounding me. I was quick to play the victim card and see life as a constant battle of others versus me. I was hidden from my own biases and perceptions of others and isms that I was sheltered from and turned a blind eye to. I was unaware of my own privileges such as my ableism, age, class, and religion. I've had my fair share of hardship and I have been submerged into communities and environments of those who have stars upon their bellies while I had non upon mine (Dr. Seuss 1961).  However, it is the resilience that I have begun to form over the years that have shaped and molded me into the person that I am today. I have the motivation to keep pushing forward and wanting to make a difference for the next generation of young minds. I want children similar to myself who face similar adversity and struggle with their own self-identity to not feel alone, to know that they are loved, and to know that they are filled with potential and greatness to make their dreams come true. I want to keep my faith in the light at the end of the tunnel and that there is a rainbow after the rain. Though life has its obstacles and sometimes feels like I'm on a crazy mouse ride constantly be jerked from one side to the next with sudden dips and rises. I know that I can make it through and I must make it through for the loved ones in my life and the loved ones I have yet to meet. 

References

Dr. Seuss. 1961. The Sneetches and Other Stories. 

Laureate Education. n.d. Learning from Another's Life Story.

Start Seeing and Discussing Diversity

                                                                     Start Seeing Diversity: 

                                                                   "Shhh, We don't say that"

                                                          https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/shhh.html

       I have been told and remember times when I was young and I would say or giggle at something I saw or witnessed another person either doing, wearing, or look like and my parents would tell me "shhh, shhh" and scurry us away from that person. My dad still tells me today, that there were times he had to hush me and get me away from another person when I was very young because he was fearful that they would hear and become offended, thus taking it out on him. Now that I am an adult and teach young children there are times when I find myself hushing my students when we are out in public and they see someone who is different than other people or cultures that they have encountered in the past. 

    A time I can remember hushing some of my students was when we were outside taking our daily walk and on this day we walked past a homeless person who had a strong aroma coming from him. Some of my students started making faces and say eww stinky and holding their noses while walking past him. At this time I did not know what to do and I tried to hurry us away from this person and held my finger to my mouth at my students, shook my head, and, said: "all done." At the time I believed this to be the best way to not draw a lot of attention to the situation at hand and move past the person who I was afraid would become offended and come after myself, my co-teacher, and possibly even the children. I am now aware that I have my own biases towards homeless people and have a fear of them that I may also be projecting onto my students because of the way I hurry past them and try not to look or make eye contact.

    Something I could have done differently is later on in the classroom address what had happened and explain to my student's homeless culture and how some people may end up where they are now and the reason behind the smell. I could also go on to say how it is ok to notice and take observations however teasing is never nice and no one wants to be made fun of. 

    We cannot turn a blind eye to our differences and students' observations of people who are different than them. In the required media file this week discussing race and ethnicity we were taught the importance of not being color blind instead of accepting, embracing, and conversating about our differences. If we turn a blind eye and silence children then it is giving the message that these differences are bad and the best thing to do is to ignore them and stay clear of people who are different than you (Laureate Education n.d) This is not the message we want to portray to the up incoming generation. This message does not support inclusion nor tolerance and this will further divide the society of humankind. Similar to the self-reflection I am doing throughout this course and recognizing my own biases and stereotypes, it is our job as educators, caregivers, and leaders of young minds to help them ask questions and recognize everyone's differences. It is our differences that make us unique and lead to new discoveries, inventions, and relationships with one another.

                                                                                References

                Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Start seeing diversity: Physical ability and characteristics [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

                Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Start seeing diversity: Race/ethnicity [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu