Interactive Learning

Sunday, February 4, 2018

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Awareness of Microaggressions

This week assignment was about observing microaggressions. One example of microaggression I observed this week was in insult regarding African American taste of foods. Some of you might not be familiar with the stereotype that black people love chicken and watermelon. Don’t ask me how it got started because I do not know. My workplace is predominated African American workers. Recently a Caucasian woman joined the team. To make a long story short, the staff was planning a dinner where each staff member were asked to bring a dish. Later the Caucasian woman got with a group of us and asked what she could bring. We responded anything you want. She then told a story about a friend who was a Caucasian male that worked at a predominate black fire department. The fire department had a luncheon, and the Caucasian male brought watermelons and was fired for racial stereotyping. I don’t think she meant any harm, but as a group we looked at each other like where this story come from, and what did it have to do with her bringing a dish. She noticed the look on our faces, and said I’m not trying to be racist, I just don’t want to bring the wrong thing. I took it as an insult and walked away. Although the statement might not have been intentional, it let me no her mindset. I felt that she was being discriminative and disrespectful.

This week observation experiences have helped me to become more aware of the things people say and do. As an early childhood educator, I notices that I’m guilty of microaggressions statements also such as telling a Caucasian parent “I know yall don’t get cold but put the baby on a hat because her hair is wet every morning. We laughed it off, but that was disrespectful of me.

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

This week’s assignment consisted on asking three people their definition of culture and diversity. The first person I asked was a friend in her late 30s. She defined culture in two words “The traditions”. She defined diversity as “differences- seeing things in a different way, different own point of view”. The second person that I asked was a nineteen-year-old college student. She defined culture as “your beliefs, where I come from- my origins, background, and ethnicity. She defined diversity as people that have different beliefs, background----- you know stuff is not the same”. The third person I asked was a man in his late 40s. He defined culture as “where you come from”. He defined diversity as” your race”.

Some aspects of culture that I have studied in this course were included in their answers such as traditions, beliefs, origins, background, race and the way we live. Two people defined diversity as differences, but in different perspectives. One focused on the changing of one’s mind or perception while the other focused on the aspects of cultural diversity. The third person focused on the physical characteristics of diversity.

According to Derman-Sparks, & Edwards,

culture refer to how particular groups of people live. The way we eat, sleep, talk, play, care for the sick, relate to one another, think about work, arrange our kitchen, and remember the dead including the language we speak, religion or spiritually we do or do not practice, the clothing, housing, food, and rituals/holiday with which we feel most comfortable (2010).

Reflecting on their answers and expressions when ask this question regarding culture reminds me of myself when I began this course, and that many people are unconscious about deep culture and the things that really makes them tick focusing on the surface of culture and diversity.

Reference

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Saturday, January 20, 2018

My Family Culture

Senerio:

If a major catastrophe has devastated the infrastructure of my country, and the government decides to send myself and immediate family members to another country which culture is completely different form my country, and I am told that I can only take one change of clothing, and three small items that are dear to me, and represent my family’s culture, and then when I get to the country, I am told I can only keep one of the items what will it be?

The three items I think I would take are my family’s photo album, my cell phone, and my charger.

I chose my family photo album because it holds a lot of memories. The family photo album holds pictures from new births to my grandmother celebrating her ninety- first birthday. Each picture tells some type of story. There are celebrations of marriages, different holidays, and gathering where we are just playing games such as kickball, volleyball, and other activities.

I know a phone in materialistic, but I would take my cell phone because I would want to have some means of communication to continually try to reach other family members. I chose the charger because I would need it to charge my phone.

If upon arrival to the new country, I was told I could only keep on item. I would not like giving up the only way of communicating, but without a doubt, I would choose my family’s photo album. You all have probably heard the saying “A picture is worth a thousand words.” That is the way I feel about my family photo album. The album is the only thing that I have which represent my family’s culture. Keeping this album will give the younger generation an insight into their family’s cultural, and rituals in the future.

In doing this assignment, I realized how children must feel when they are forced to participate in unknown territory. Entering preschool can seem like going to a foreign country for younger children. They are leaving what they know as their “norm” and entering a different world with different rules and expectations. As early childhood educators we need to make this transition for children as easy as possible. We need to find creative ways to learn about diversity am our families.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

"MY Supports"

There are three major supports in my life, my family, my church, and my job. I depend on my family a lot; for example, my niece is staying with me right now. She has two boys, and they really work my nerves because I'm use to my peace and quiet when I get off work, but by the time I make it home from work, they are just getting off the bus most of the time, and in ready to play mode. However, her presence is in good timing. I baby sit my grandson during the night while my eldest daughter works. My grandson is a hand full also, and does not let his aunt, my youngest daughter care for him. He loves my niece, so she helps me out when I'm doing homework.

Secondly, my church supports me spiritually, and social/emotionally. We have bible study every Wednesday nights, and church service every Sunday. Third Sunday is dedicated to the youth meaning they conduct the entire service. It brings me joy to see my sisters and brothers in Christ within and outside church. We have fellowship picnics, shopping outing, youth outing and activities. Youth activities involves all church member. Even now I'm laughing remembering times when even the pastor and mother played kickball, and the are up in age. We just have good clean fun.

Last but not least, my job supports me and my family financially. My job is located in the same town that I live. I drive 15 minutes to and from work Monday- Friday, which is very convenient. Finances from my job pays my bills, provides me with a home, and transportation. It also supports my daughter as she attends college. If I didn't have a job I can picture myself homeless. I remember that movie with Will Smith, "In the Pursuit of Happiness", and think that many of us are just a pay check away from being homeless.

Without the support of my niece and other family members, I would not be able to further my education within a face to face or online college. If I could not go to church, I believe that I would be spiritually, emotionally, and physically drained. Losing my job at this age would be a real struggle.

Saturday, November 25, 2017

"My Connections to Play

Some of my Favorite Childhood Games

Pick up Sticks

Hop Scotch

Jump Rope

Marbles

As I reflected on childhood play, I'm reminded of how I loved to play outside. My aunt would always tell my siblings and I, "Yall go outside and play," because she didn't want us lounging watching TV, or sitting around listening to adult conversation.The outdoors was a playground of adventures for me and my siblings.We didn't have many store bought toys, so we would make toys and create game on our own.We would go into the woods and build forts with tree branches and leaves, make mud pies, make stick horses pretending we were cowboys and Indians, and climb trees. Some of my favorite games were jump rope, marbles, hop scotch, and pick up sticks. I think I enjoyed childhood play so much that it became one of the reasons I chose early childhood education.Similar to my childhood play, young children are still unique, creative, fun, and courageous when playing. They use their mind to turn the simplest materials into wonderful learning tools such as, turning a empty box into a house or car; however, their is a big difference in today's idea of play. Some schools view play as a waste of time, parents replace play with expensive gadgets such as tablets, computers, I pads, and some 3 year old children even have cell phones. They don't want children to play outside because they might get their clothes dirty. My hopes are that parents and educators allow children to be children meaning a child's play is his/her work, and they work very hard to conquer play. Looking at the world through a child's eyes keep even the oldest person feeling forever young at heart.