Reflection on Learning Strategies for Working with Diverse Children and Families

 Hopes and Wishes for Continued Work in the Anti-Bias Field

                                                      

                                                             https://www.shutterstock.com/search/diverse+cartoon+kids

             This course along with all my other lessons and course work at Walden University has taught me a great deal of what it means to be an anti-bias educator and maintain an inclusive work and school environment. We are all different and it is ok to see and discuss our difference. We also all have similarities such as the similarity to want to feel accepted, loved, respected, and find a community to fill you with encouragement and support. This week in our required media presentation we heard wise and hopeful words from Julie Olsen-Edwards in which she concluded on the note that we are not alone and are now part of a global community and family of early childhood educators. This ending speech made me feel warm and happy-hearted because there have been times when I have felt that what I am doing as a profession is looked down upon, not respected, and unvalued. It is hard to keep motivation such as when you see your bi-weekly paycheck or hear how much others are making without years of schooling, and the most hurtful saying to me is that I am just a glorified babysitter. What makes me continue forward with the work I do is the impact and growth I see on a daily basis with my students in both their educational and emotional development. I not only see growth in them but with myself and a newfound appreciation of what I do and how I help others in the world. 

    As I continue forward with my work with anti-bias education in early childhood I would like to continue working on my patience and discussing feelings with students and also being less hard on myself when mistakes are made or days and lessons are not going as planned. I have a tendency to be very hard on myself and blame myself for every little thing that goes amiss even if at times I had no control over the situation at hand. The better I keep my composure, keep my head up and keep pushing forward the easier and less stressful it will be for my students to carry forward and push through tough situations and challenging days. I also like to continue discussing the topic of race and skin complexion with my students. This week alone I have had four conversations about skin color and comparing the skin color of myself and the students in my class. Before taking these courses I would have found these discussions uncomfortable and try to change the topic very quickly. Now I realize and see the importance of discussing the fact that we all do have different skin colors and it is ok to describe our differences in terms of being light, dark, tan, and pale. As long as we are not saying whose skin color is more beautiful or more dominant than the others, it is ok to discuss the spectrum of color we see on our friends' skin.

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    Thank you so much to my professor and colleagues who have worked hard and helped me learn and grow in my journey of anti-bias education. Thank you so much for sharing your personal stories and thank you for listening to mine. We are all so unique and passionate about the work we do. It has been an honor working with all of you and I look forward to continuing learning with you all throughout my master's program and beyond.

Reference

           Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for working with diverse children: Your commitment to anti-bias work. Baltimore, MD: Author