PRACTICING AWARENESS OF MICROAGGRESSIONS

When I read the blog assignment for this week, I decided to observe (basically) the world around me.  This included everyone I came in contact with each day as well as those who communicated electronically with me (email, chat, and instant messages).  What I observed was a mixture of totally blatant comments which I would consider to be inappropriate in many ways as well as those which would be examples of microaggressions. 

An example of the blatant comments included one made by a neighbor about individuals who were looking to possibly buy a house for sale in the neighborhood.  The comment was “Oh no I hope those foreigners don’t buy the house.”  The family which was looking at the home was of mid-eastern descent according to this individual.  Personally, I see no problem with who buys the house.  But I am realizing in more clarity after my observation of this past week that others definitely have their biases and are not afraid to voice them.

An example of a microaggression in which I was on the receiving end of this past week was a comment made in general conversation with a friend I had not seen in a very long time.  To set up the scenario once my husband passed away a big majority of our friends and even some of his family members have chosen not come on the property since they state it is too hard for them to deal with.  This one friend had come to talk to my youngest son about something and we got into a conversation where he started asking how things were going etc… I explained things are going well and that I am still working on my second master’s, still running the child care, etc…  The look of surprise and comments made concerning how I was able to accomplish my goals without my husband or being remarried was the microaggression.  I know he did not mean anything by his comments but they still felt like a knife that people still saw me as someone who had lower intelligence and needed to be taken care of by a man because I could not succeed without one.  I suppose I should be used to these types of microaggressions since they are still pretty common even after being a widow for almost nine years, but these comments still hurt in many ways.  I am proud of what I have accomplished but it is tough to deal with those who inadvertently come across as critical of these accomplishments in some way, shape or form.

By focusing on being an observer this past week, it gave me the opportunity to really see how many examples of blatant bias and inadvertent microaggressions are actually said in a weekly period of time.  This realization has made me more aware of my own comments and words I choose in communicating when working with a diverse group of individuals.  It also has made me more aware of others around me and their comments.  I will certainly take this opportunity to be more careful in the future with my choice of words (both verbally as well as written).

PERSPECTIVES ON DIVERSITY AND CULTURE

When I first saw this blog assignment I figured it would be easy to get people to tell me their definitions of culture and diversity.  Boy was I wrong.  I even posted the question for my Facebook friends and only got three replies.  So these are the ones I will use for this assignment and I thank them for their replies to my request.

The first reply I received came from a former exchange student I hosted and am still in almost weekly contact with from Azerbaijan.  She is now 19 years old but has the wisdom of someone a lot older than she is.  Her definition of culture is that it is the common beliefs and values that unite people.  Her definition of diversity is the elements of culture that set people apart.

The second reply was from a really good friend of mine who has adopted three children from Russia and has hosted many exchange students as well.  Her reply was “I would say that 'culture' is an environment that creates a shared experience by people...which could be by events (think 9/11), circumstances (working together as teachers, policemen, etc) or the place they are in (such as living in a cold or warm climate). I think of diversity as any aspect that makes people different from each other...whether it's race, age, sexuality, background, beliefs, etc.”

The third reply was from another former exchange student from Pakistan.  She keeps in contact when she can.  She is also 19 years old now – almost 20 as her birthday is in April.  Her definitions were pretty close to those of the first reply I received.  She believes that culture contains all people with common beliefs and values of their society.  She believes that diversity is the elements within the culture which shows the differences in people.

Each of the answers I received was interesting as they focused on just a basic description of what culture and diversity are.  From what we have studied so far these definitions are just the tip of the iceberg in reference to the complex nature of defining culture and diversity – let alone understanding the complex aspects of both.  It is important to hear/read other individual’s opinions and definitions of culture and diversity since we each have our own understanding based on our own experiences.  In my opinion this added information helps us learn how to listen to others more and give us pause to stop and think our own definitions and beliefs.

MY FAMILY CULTURE

The assignment for this week’s blog posting was a really tough one.  I have worked with exchange students who lived in Gaza and were forcibly evacuated with little of their personal items.  During my conversations with this young man it amazed me how well his family adapted to living in a refugee camp for so long.  Especially with the knowledge that all that was left behind was probably stolen or destroyed.  How difficult would it be to pass down the family culture to future generations?  This young man wisely told me that, though difficult, it is not impossible.  He said they all had their stories in their hearts and minds and could pass these onto each of the future generations as they were to him and his generation.  How wise is this young man at the age of 15 (at the time of this conversation)?

Upon reflecting on this conversation the three items I would choose would be my children’s baby books, a DVD of photos, and a blank journal with a pen/pencil.  I would bring the baby books since these represent the first eight years of my children’s lives so they would be able to reflect back and share with others.  The DVD of photos would hold visual representation of our family culture to go along with the verbal sharing of stories they represent.  The blank journal with the pen/pencil would be the perfect tools to write down the memories in order for them to be shared in the future as they are remembered.  

If, upon arrival, I was told only one item would be allowed to be kept, the item I would choose would be the journal with the pen/pencil.  Since I would not have my computer, this is the next best way I can think of to share the family culture and our life in general with those we are just meeting as well as future generations of family and friends.  I am pretty much attached to my computer and my life is pretty well organized around what I can do with it, so this would definitely be a reality check for me.

The insights I have learned through this assignment is to stop and take the time to figure out who I am, who are we as a family, and how to reflect back on the past; view the present; and move into the future while keeping our beliefs; culture; and diversity.  It is always an eye opener to reflect back and think about what could be.  I have had to do this a few times and it does not get any easier with practice.

REFLECTION - BUILDING RESEARCH COMPETENCIES (EDUC - 6163 - 1)

First I would like to thank everyone for all of their help and support through this past eight weeks of the course.  Without all of you I also look forward to continue working with those who will be in future classes with me as well.  Great luck to everyone on your future endeavors.

The insights I have gained about research this past eight weeks has been more of a refinement for me as well as seeing research through a different lens.  I previous had taken a research course for my first master of science (which was in Psychology) and found this course to be both a refresher as well as adding a new twist to how to think about research.  Also it was good to learn more about how to design and focus on a research study when working specifically with children and their families.  The challenges for me will more than likely always be the same - not to try and research to broad of a subject and which method to use when planning.  This is something that I had to work on little by little throughout the course and am confident that I did pretty well at overcoming these challenges this time at least.  Knowing myself as well as I do, I will always struggle with certain aspects since I seem to always go down the toughest road to get to my goal.  However, I am used to it and now feel I have more confidence in my abilities in the area of research.  Time will tell.

Once again good luck everyone!  Keep in touch!

RESEARCH AROUND THE WORLD

I think I was born with a mind that just needs to be infused with new information constantly so this week’s assignment is right up my alley.  The assigned website (http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php) was full of information which was new to me and my inquiring mind.  I loved having the opportunity to view the final major projects and theses page.  It was refreshing to see names of countries that we do not usually see when we research topics in early childhood education and development.  I also loved being able to connect these countries and their research with the exchange students I have worked with over the years.

Some of the subjects which were covered are, but are not limited to:  the development of an integrated early childhood development urban model training program for informal minders and community volunteers in Ghana; building community leadership for quality sustainability in Madrasa Preschools; the perceptions of parents and caregivers of early childhood development needs and quality; and involving fathers in early childhood care and development.  I especially like this last one since I feel it is extremely important for fathers to feel comfortable and included in this aspect of their child(ren)’s life.  So many times the focus is just on the mothers and there is not much effort to include the fathers as well. 

Under this subject, last week I was working with a family who was eligible for WIC but the new mom was going through some post-partum depression and would not go to the WIC office to complete the paperwork.  When I asked the father why he did not go instead, he stated that fathers were not welcome to apply since the focus is on the mothers and children.  I told him I would make some calls the next day to make sure but I knew that father’s were welcome to bring in their children as well.  They did not get the benefits the mothers were eligible for but they could still bring in their child(ren).  I made some calls the next day and was told, yes of course, fathers are welcome.  When I told the father, he was really surprised that he was going to be able to participate in this aspect of programs and assistance for his son.  The program made him feel very comfortable and as far as I know all went well.  I believe we need to make sure we focus on both parents as well as the children when we are working with families and conducting research.

I have to say though that the most surprising aspect of the website that I found was the ability to see so many reports in one place which were in easily downloadable PDF files for future reading.  As I am sure many of you will agree this is a big asset to our busy lives as we do not always have the time to read a report in one sitting.  There were so many to choose from which is great when you are looking for a variety of reports/findings.

I would definitely recommend this website to anyone in the early childhood field to keep handy as a resource.

Reference

ECDVU Sub-Saharan Africa Cohort Delivery: 2001 - 2004 Country

     Objectives and Participant Profiles. (n.d.). ECDVU Gateway.

     Retrieved from http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php

AN EXAMPLE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD FIELD OF EDUCATION

Personally and professionally, the importance of research being conducted as well as having access to this research is really important.  As a licensed child care educator since June, 1990, I have seen many changes in both the licensing standards/regulations as well as what is expected of the child care field professionally.  I have also learned how important it is to view situations from a variety of viewpoints as well as being a neutral third-party when it is needed.  It is very important to keep our minds open in order to learn a greater variety of tools which can be used personally, professionally, and in a local context.  In order for me to run a high-quality child care it is important for me to understand and keep myself apprised of the newest research as well as the conclusions this research has found.  Research, in my opinion, is one of the greatest tools I have available to me.

Further understanding of tools such as awareness viewpoints are beneficial in many situations, including but not limited to, situations working with families, when conducting research, and when advocating.  Becoming aware of factors such as the importance of respecting that each student and their family have a culture that is to be valued and affirmed; allowing students and families to fully participate in the educational process – keep communication open in both directions; reflection periodically on our own definition of diversity and educating ourselves in any areas in which we, as educators, need more information in, are also very important (Salend, 2008).

As I have written in previous assignments, there is no doubt how important the early years are to children’s lives. A positive beginning to life means a positive foundation for future development, health and general well-being throughout a child’s life. However, policy and practice in early education and care still lacks focus in many areas of the United States as well as Internationally (Elliott, 2006).

Quality/effectiveness as it relates to early childhood programs, regardless of the programs being center-based, family home based, nursery school, or learning centers, require the same components to be present in order to be considered as a quality/effective program. Examples of what a quality/effective program should include are, but not limited to: The relationship between the educator and the child; a rich curriculum; and the presence of a responsive/well-educated staff/educator-child ratios.

Research has shown the ongoing relationship which the educator has developed with each of the children is very important to the child’s learning. Research on brain development of young children, according to Galinsky (2006), shows that human relationships are the building blocks of human development (Galinsky, 2006). High-quality programs place an emphasis a curriculum with a focus on language; emergent literacy; early mathematics skills; motor; social/emotional development; health; nutrition; structured/unstructured play; and a curriculum which allows for the involvement of parents/guardians in the curriculum itself as well as educational opportunities for the parents/guardians (Olson, 2005). High-quality early learning programs will be the strongest if the educator-child ratios allow for the best responsiveness/sensitivity to the children. Recommendations by the National Research Council include assigning at least one educator with a minimum bachelor’s degree and specialized education in early childhood to each group of children (Olson, 2005). The preparation and compensation of educators is also very important (Olson, 2005).  These components should include focuses (as referenced above) on a combination of nurturing relationships, a focus on the children’s health and safety, and making sure a developmentally-appropriate curriculum is provided for all of the children’s developmental needs regardless of their abilities.

Plainly speaking, without research, none of these facts would be known.  In the long-run this helps all of us in one capacity or another.  But it is our job to make sure the research we are basing our decisions on has been done both ethically and has met the proper standards.

Reference

Galinsky, E. (2006). The economic benefits of high quality preschool: What makes the difference? Retrieved from http://familiesandwork.org/site/research/reports/ced.pdf

Olson, L. (2005). Early childhood education: Investing in quality makes sense. Research Points, 3(2). Retrieved from http://www.aera.net/uploadedFiles/Journals_and_Publications/Research_Points/RPFall05 .pdf

Salend, S. J. (2008). Creating inclusive classrooms: effective and reflective practices. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.

MY PERSONAL RESEARCH JOURNEY

First I wanted to start off with letting everyone know how happy I am to be working/learning with everyone.  These past two weeks have been full of so much information and advice that I am really looking forward to seeing where the next six weeks bring.

My chosen topic for this research simulation is poverty and its affect on a child’s cognitive development.  Specifically, what are the affects of a child’s home environment which falls into the socio-economic level considered at or below the poverty line when said children are all in a high quality early childhood learning environment at least part time?  This topic and question were chosen as the effects of poverty involve a complex amount of risk factors which can/will adversely affect the community population in many ways.  According to Jensen (2009), there are four primary risk factors which afflict families who are living in poverty.  The risk factors are:  emotional and social challenges; acute and chronic stressors; cognitive lags; and health and safety issues.  These risk factors can and do make everyday living a struggle for individuals in poverty.  Each of these factors builds and plays off one another.  Which simply stated means one problem created by poverty contributes to another problem, which in turn contributes to another? 

During a previous class taken (Issues and Trends in the Early Childhood Field) the issue of poverty was studied.  As I was doing research for this issue, it became apparent to me that I needed to research more about this particular issue within my own community and see what its affects are on the children I work with in my child care.  Working in the child care field for the last twenty-two years has given me some insight as to the state of poverty in my town as well as the surrounding areas as I work with different programs and families.  My work has also exposed me to various programs which are present to assist those in need.  However, through researching the subject of poverty in a more in-depth manner, I have gained the knowledge of just how many programs are in my community as well as the different types of poverty in general.  Now it is important for me, both professionally and personally, to bring my knowledge to the next level in order to improve the quality of my child care.  I am expecting a very informative learning experience now and in the future.

Working on this particular research simulation so far has been very interesting.  I love how everything is broken down into little sections in order to better understand the process of conducting research.  I sometimes forget that the process can be broken down in order to save so much time in the future.  I personally struggle with taking a topic and finding a way to narrow it down into a subject that is not too broad of a subject.  I tend to start big and use unnecessary time in order to narrow the topic down to a specific question which needs to be researched.

If anyone has any ideas or advice on narrowing topics down, I would appreciate the input. 

Good luck to everyone!  Once again I am happy to be working/learning with everyone.

Reference

Jensen, E. (2009). Teaching with poverty in mind: what being poor does to kids' brains and what schools can do about it. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.