What I have learned.........

     I have many hopes when working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds. One hope is to help in creating an environment that contrasts the prevailing biased messages that they receive from others within the society they live in. My second hope is to teach young children in my classroom how to challenge biases about who they are by providing them with the appropriate skills. And lastly my hope is to instill in them that unjust things can be changed. I will encourage them to challenge biases, to take action on issues that are relevant to their lives.
 
     One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice would be: For every educator to continue in working with children and their families to encourage them to believe in themselves. As professionals we should always keep an open heart to receive what they are trying to say to us. There should be no room for bias in our teaching and learning of every child. Always remember to treat all families and children with respect and dignity.

     I would like to thank my instructor, Dr. Klein and  all of my colleagues for a rewarding and challenging eight weeks. I have been privileged to having been exposed to a whole new avenue of knowledge and learning. It has been a great educational journey. Thank you all for your insights, thoughts, and feedback. I hope we have more learning adventures together. I would like to leave each of you with these words:

                    Remember, every great dream begins with a
                    dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the
                    strength, the patience, and the passion to reach
                    for the stars to change the world......
                                                   Harriet Tubman
Reference
Derman-Sparks, L.,Olsen-Edwards, J. (2010).Anti-Bias Education for
Young Children and Ourselves. National Association for the Education
of Young Children. (NAEYC). Washington, DC.  

Start Seeing Diversity: Creating Art


                     We Are All Different but the Same..............


                                 

                    I look to a day when people will not be
                    judged by the color of their skin, but by
                    the content of their character

                                                        Martin Luther King, Jr.

We belong to different Culture groups

Differences in people and variety in cultures make everything less
boring than it otherwise would be, race is what makes us different, and the color of our skin, it is a great thing that no one is exactly alike which makes us all unique.

We are All Different But the Same...............

                        Diversity Is...... Being Different, But Being Yourself......

   Becoming an Anti-Bias Educator means to except the differences in everyone, because we are all unique in our own way......

"We Don't  Say Those Words in Class!"

The time when I witnessed an adult, myself reprimand or silence a child after he or she pointed out someone they saw as different, happened to me. My 15th year of teaching a group of 4 year olds was quite an experience. During this time there was total of 20 children, 17 whites and about three black children. We were dancing during large group music and movement, this particular little boy who was not very verbal, in my opinion he always acted more on the level of a child who was much older than 4. So, I join in to dance with them, he walks over and looks at me, and says, "You Are A Monkey", I had to really compose myself before saying anything. So, I say to him, why you say that, he continues to look at me, and says because you are, so sure of what he was saying. So, I did not bring attention to it, I just continued to dance. After the children were down for nap, I talked it over with the other teacher, we decided to talk to the children as a closing activity, about how we are all different, by the color of our skin, our hair, etc. We read the book, We are different, we are the same. I don't think he knew what he was saying, it was just someone he had heard someone else say. The message that would have been communicated to this child if I had made an issue out of it would have been that I was offended of what he said, and that I was angry with him for saying it. Becoming angry with him would have been wrong, he did not understand how the word "monkey" is offensive to the black race. This particular child is now in the 5th grade, and he respects me, loves me, and he is my friend.

 An anti-bias educator would have communicated to not only this child, but the whole class the importance of all of our uniqueness of being different in so many ways. They should never make fun of people who are different, poke fun at people, or discriminate against anybody, always be kind and always help if they see someone in need of a helping hand (Derman-Sparks & Olsen-Edwards,2010).

Reference
Derman-Sparks,L., Olsen- Edwards, J., (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. (NAEYC). Washington, DC.