Hopes and Goals

In thinking about my hopes for working with diverse families, I hope that first and foremost, every student and their family feel accepted and loved when they walk through the doors of my classroom.  I have realized that this takes a great deal of work, but it is worthwhile.  All children need to be recognized in my class, and the dominant culture does not need to be the only culture expressed and represented.  I am working on this in my own class, and this course has helped me learn how I can use self-reflection to aid me in this. Another key component in this is education.  Sometimes educating families and myself on issues of diversity is needed.

  A goal I have is for those in the field to “keep on keeping on” as sometimes the passion diminishes.  Teachers need time for self-reflection to see how their contributions are aiding in the quest for anti-bias education.  Burnout often occurs, and I think that self-reflection would aid in the rekindling of passion.  To help with this goal, I think there needs to be more support from other colleagues, to know that you are not in this alone.  Having collaborative groups that meet to discuss issues, topics, and solutions, in a safe environment, could also assist in this.

I want to thank each of you for aiding my understanding of diversity in this course.  I have grown personally and professionally because of your contributions.  Thanks for your questions that caused me to think.  Tammy, thank you for navigating us through this course, and for your wealth of resources you shared.  This has been an awesome class and I look forward to more with you all!   Best wishes!

Welcome, Friends!

I learned today that I would be getting a new student from the country of Pakistan.  I have heard of this country on the news, but my knowledge of the country is limited.  To better inform myself about this country, I first did research to aid me in my understanding of the country. I learned that Urdu is the official language of Pakistan, the religion of the country is primarily Muslim, agriculture is of importance, and textiles are important exports, and additionally, television is government controlled (CIA, n.d.).   I also learned that because of the Muslim religion, pork is prohibited in the diet; in family structures, women typically stay at home, while the men work (Countries and Their Culture, 2012). 

The next thing I would do would be to write a letter to the family in the native language of Urdu.  I will type the letter in English and use www.freetranslation.com to aid me in the translation.  Communication with the family will continue in the native language weekly.  I will also include the English version as well in case there are translation difficulties.

Next I will inspect every center and ensure that the Pakistani culture is represented.  I will try to get baby dolls that look similar, books that have pictures that reflect these individuals, dress up clothing, and pictures posted in the classroom.

The cafeteria will be informed of no pork in the diet.  We will offer meal substitutes and allow the student meal alternatives.

I will also ask the family about holidays and observances.  We will learn about these in the classroom and discuss them at length.

The family will be asked to share food samples from Pakistan, and come in to discuss their culture with the students if they feel comfortable doing so.

The student will also be asked to bring something, should they choose, from Pakistan that can be left in the classroom as a source of comfort for the student.

If I know ahead of time that the student will begin my class on a given date, I can discuss some of the cultural differences ahead of time.

In doing these things, I hope that the family will feel welcomed and not ostracized.  I also hope that the family can feel that we are a team, and that I am interested in their student, just as I am interested in all the others.  I also feel that in doing the research, I can deal with any biases ahead of time, and that if my information is incorrect, the family can help me learn the correct information.

References

Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.). The world fact book: Pakistan.  Retrieved December 16, 2012 from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pk.html

Countries and their cultures.  (2012).  Pakistan.  Retrieved December 16, 2012 from http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Pakistan.html

Personally Speaking

As I have shared with you all, my family was on the poorer side of the economic spectrum growing up. When I was in college, my Dad got a really good paying job, and Mom was working at a local retail store, so their financial status began looking up. I remember an incident that happened when I was in college, though, where there was bias exhibited.  My Dad worked in a machine shop and wore old clothes.  Even when they were clean, he would sometimes choose to wear those to go out shopping.  So, one afternoon when I was home for Christmas break, he said, “Let’s go to the jewelry store and get your Mom’s Christmas present.”  He wanted to get her some diamond earrings, and he was dressed in his “comfortable” clothes. 

When we walked into the local jewelry store, we were not immediately sought out by the salespeople.  In fact, we had to ask for help.  When Dad told the lady what he wanted, she said, “Well, honey, have you thought about cubic zirconia?”  My Dad was a littler patient than I was, but I said, “Um, ma’am, he said DIAMONDS.”  She then led him to a case that had tiny little diamond chips in it.  I was SO mad, that I wanted to leave, but my Dad really wanted some for my Mom, so he continued the sale.  He told the saleslady that he wanted something a little bigger.  Again, she led him to a sale counter that was less than what Dad wanted.  He finally found what he was looking for, and when he paid in CASH I thought the lady’s eyes were going to pop out of her head.

I learned that people sometimes act in ignorance.  Stereotypes are often hard to overcome and affect interactions with others.  As an ECE professional, I try to look past outward appearances.  I have learned that this does not equal economic status.  In these tough times, someone could be dressed to the nines, clad in the best that money has, and be struggling financially.  On the flip side, someone may look less than perfect, and be well off.

I remember the anger and frustration I felt with this experience.  I remember sharing this with EVERYONE and I still do not like going into this place of business.  If everyone was treated equally, this would not have happened.

Awareness of Microaggressions

This week, I heard a five year old girl, while playing, discuss the size of toy trucks.  She stated, “The smaller trucks are for the girls, and the bigger ones are for the boys.”  She was told that the size of the trucks have nothing to do with gender.  When she was asked why she said this, she replied that boys are stronger than girls; therefore they get the bigger trucks.  The message conveyed here was that boys are stronger than girls.

I am from the south, and have a Southern twang.  I was once a bit ashamed of this, but now I draw my words out with pride!  I was once told, “You talk funny!  Are you sure you have a college degree? Weren’t you taught how to speak correctly?”  The implication was that I was dumb because I was Southern and spoke differently, even though it was proper English, just a little slower than others!  This made me feel ashamed, and for a while, I tried to make my spoken language in public appear less than Southern, which was uncomfortable and unnatural.  Now, I am proud of this, and I feel that I can express myself freely.

Thinking about these microaggressions made me reflect on how these often unintended messages have lasting impacts.  I also have learned that it is important to empower children, families, and ourselves with the ability to combat microaggressions.  Education is a tool for this, as well as direct confrontation when microaggressions occur.

Definitions of Culture and Diversity

I asked several people their definition of culture and diversity, and only received four replies.

Here are the replies I received.

“Culture is a set of attitudes, rules of behavior and beliefs held commonly within a society. Diversity is the extent to which things differ.”

“Culture is defined as developing or improving the mind by education or training.  Diversity is accepting others for their differences.”

 “Culture has two meanings.  The first is refined, steeped in proper etiquette and good manners...as in "Scarlett O'Hara (Gone with the Wind) was a very cultured southern woman.
The second definition is the area and family in which you were raised that taught you a particular set of values...as in "He was raised in a good Catholic family and was taught to go to Mass every week and to be respectful of his elders."  Diversity was defined as, “Usually used in the context of a population that is different from one another...as in, "The town I grew up in had a lower, middle-class group of working-class, blue-collar kind of people as well as an upper-middle class group of professional people. Also, diversity can be thought as a wide-ranging group of ideas...as in "During our brainstorming session, we came up with a diverse amount of ideas for solving the problem." (*Suggested looking up definition in dictionary)

The last person looked up the definition in a dictionary and did not give their personal definition of culture and diversity.  It was interesting to compare and contrast the dictionary definition to the other definitions that were given.  I am not sure if this is from Webster’s or another online dictionary, but it reads, “Culture is the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations b : the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group ; also: the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life; shared by people in a place or time ‹popular ~› ‹southern ~› c : the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization ‹a corporate ~ focused on the bottom line› d : the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic. 

I found it interesting that one person defined culture and diversity with a dictionary, and another suggested I research this myself in a dictionary, and these were the two oldest people I asked.  I found it interesting that the definitions were very broad and some included identities that some may associate with (i.e. religious affiliation, geographical location, and social class).  I did see an expression of the dominant culture, when working class was referenced.   

I think a working definition of surface culture is represented, not deep culture.  If you used these definitions to get to know someone, this would be surface level, and not really know about traditions, values, expressions of emotions, relationships, etc. 

Prior to this class, I would have defined culture and diversity in a very broad sense as well.  I think having such a broad definition of culture often limits us as we work with children, because we only apply surface level thinking, and do not go deep into the student’s culture.  I have decided to make every effort to go deep into the culture, not just scratch the surface.

Items of Importance

If I received word that I would be evacuating from my country, I would first choose my Bible.  I would explain that this is where I draw my strength from, and that I need it to help instruct my daughter in the Christian faith, as well as help feed myself spiritually.  I also have family events chronicled in the front of the Bible, and this could serve as a reminder of important family events (births, deaths, mission trips, spiritual decisions). 

The next item I would take would be a quilt that my Grandmother made me that I have now passed down to my daughter.  It has seen a lot of my life, and holds many precious memories!  My grandmother was a very important woman in my life, and I still feel her influence.  Taking a quilt made by her would help me feel secure with all the changes that might take place in a new country.

The third item I would take would be family photos.  My husband and I both enjoy telling family history to our daughter, and this is a great way to share that history.  I would also like to take wedding photos and other photos of importance.

Wow!  What a difficult question in regards to what one item I would take with me.  After careful consideration, I would have to say that I would keep my Bible.  This is where I go for a source of comfort and words that I want my daughter to know and aid her in her spiritual growth.  I also can read guidance about being a mother and wife in the pages of God’s word.

I realized in doing this that most of my culture is closely tied to non-materialistic items.  I would not choose money over memories.  I also reflected on the importance of family in my life, and how our culture is meaningful to us.  

Reflections

Coming into this course, I was pretty much a novice at research.  I had never really studied this much beyond science class where hypotheses were tested as part of a lab course.  Taking this class has opened my eyes to the world of research.  I imagined research to be carried out by people in white lab coats, and while some may do this, this course helped me see that research is possible for everyone.  As I soaked up the knowledge in EDUC 6163, I began to see that research can be carried out by everyday professionals.

Most of the terms to me were new, so I had to really grapple for understanding at times.  However, I believe that I am much more prepared to conduct research, but really I am much more prepared to READ research.  Through this course I learned the importance and technique of conducting a literature review.  I guess I really gained a greater understanding of the research process.  I had no idea that quantitative and qualitative research existed (using those terms to define) and the mixed methods approach was new to me as well. 

I learned that there are many steps involved in a research project. I never realized the number of hours that a single project could take.  I also learned that above all, ethics must be maintained in all facets of the research. 

One of the biggest challenges for me was understanding the difference between dependent and independent variables.  I had to read and reread the examples, and read some other examples as well.  I think I have a better understanding of these terms.  Since most of this information was new to me, I really had to keep an open mind and seek to find the answers to my questions.  I think that the charts we completed really aided my understanding.

I will no longer see researchers as those mad scientists wearing lab coats.  I now see that research is an extensive process that individuals can accomplish and participate in. 

A big thank you goes out to all of you, as you have aided my understanding in this class!  Your thoughts and insights have been extremely valuable.  Thank you, Dr. Walker for seeing us through the end of the course!

International Website

For this blog assignment, I visited the Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) website.  This website gave general information regarding early childhood programs in Sub-Sahara Africa.  The goal is to create strong leadership in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) field by aiding those in the field with support. 

I found that a vast amount of research has been conducted.  On the ECDVUSSA website, there is a link to publications.  I found that research topics from several African countries are listed.  I saw topics ranging from the role of fathers in ECE in Nigeria, to the importance and ways of strengthening the role of grandparents as parents in Uganda. 

In looking at the topics that have been researched, I see that the concerns of children in other areas of the world are similar to those of other countries.  It seems that a desire to aid families in empowering through education is alive.  I also found in skimming a couple of the research articles that there was a sense that researchers were not trying to implement new practices, but strengthen existing ones, but at the same time tried to provide education to empower. 

Option Two

For this assignment, I chose option two.

To imagine no restrictions for a research project gave me a chance to really think about my passions in the field.  If I could research any topic, I would want to research family involvement in Appalachia and the benefits of being involved in children’s educative process.  I would design pilot programs that families could learn skills for helping their children succeed.  I know that research shows the positive benefits of family involvement.  However, being from Appalachia, I would be interested in researching how a program with family education, a family academy, if you will, positively affects graduation rates and college/vocational school attendance.  I think that families often do not know the resources available to them and beginning at an early age would help them not feel so boxed in, if you will, and know early on the options that can be given to them.  In doing this research, families would be empowered to help their children, know available resources, and serve as an encouragement to their children.  In doing this, I would hope to see that graduation rates and college attendance would increase.

Research Simulation Topic

For some reason, for as long as I can remember, I have always had a difficult time narrowing my focus of topics.  As I read the text this week, I knew my topic was too broad, and it needed narrowed!  I knew I wanted to focus on the positive effects of play. Therefore, after much consideration, I have decided to narrow the focus of my topic, and thus, I want to research the role of play in aiding socio-emotional development in Pre-School aged children.  I feel very passionate about this topic, and I feel that learning more about play in relation to socio-emotional development will aid me as I advocate.  Just this week, I had a meeting with my supervisor and principal, both of whom are in defense of play, and are open to learning more about the positives of it (my supervisor was adamant about making sure we are getting in the substantial portion of the day in relation to play).  Researching this will also give me resources to give to families and others who may question why we have play for substantial portion of the day.  

 In the coming days, I know that I will need to decide if I plan to use an inductive or deductive method for gathering information.  Do any of you have any suggestions regarding this?  I know from your posts last week that some of you have research experience.  Any tips would be appreciated!

Also, do you have any research articles or information that you would be willing to share about play?  I look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks!