Professional Hopes and Goals

My Hopes

One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is that my learning environment not only makes them feel safe, loved, or wanted but also included.  One of my professional goals is to include each individual culture within my classroom into the activities, lessons, centers, etc. through the course of the year.  This is a way to help children learn about other cultures, learn to accept and respect those other cultures, and understand that even though the culture is different from theirs, there are still similarities. 

Another goal I would like to set with ECE in relation to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to increase my awareness of those issues in the classroom.  I want to target the issues that are present in my classroom so I can use those moments as teaching opportunities to show how we should respond and teach others who may look different, act different, or have a difference in opinion from ours.  We all know that the issues exist around us, outside the classroom.  The approach with the families, parents, or other adults will be much different from the approach I will take with the children I work with.  Finding a personal touch in a professional manner to address those issues as well will be crucial because once the child leaves my classroom, his family or parents may not support what I’m sharing and showing in the classroom when it comes to diversity, equity, and social justice.  So, increasing their, the parents, awareness as well will be helpful in building the child’s character development. 

Special Thanks

I want to thank all my colleagues, especially during this course, who took time to read my post and respond.  Thanks for your input or feedback; even through the discussion board.  I really have gained insight on the anti-bias that are present in education.  I hope all of you are much closer to your professional goals and will take what you have learned and apply it to the young children and families you work with daily.  Again thanks for being a part of my educational journey and helping me become a better educator.  

Welcoming Families from Around the World

I’m excited to receive a four year old boy from Panama, into my early learning program. The family is new to our country and has decided to enroll their little one into an in home learning environment. The mother feels this is the best way for her son to adjust to the new transition. I couldn’t agree more since in home care is more intimate and has a lower teacher to child ratio that will help him not only adjust but to work at his own pace, without feeling overwhelmed.

Based on my research of Panama, I have prepared myself to be culturally responsive by:

1. Incorporating their Spanish language into the learning activities. By me learning Spanish, I’m able to better communicate with the child and his family. I can also send written communication in their home language as well.

2. Having the family share with me some of the child's developmental experiences. By probing, I can find out what the child likes to eat, do for fun, and even what signs to look for when the child isn't interested or doesn't feel like participating. This will help me better understand him and help me met his needs, along with make him feel more welcomed.

3. Including Panama specific customs like art, music, and special foods. This will demonstrate to him and his family how my program accepts his culture and renders respect to his country. This will also help me learn more about Panama's history.

4. Gaining a thorough insight on their early education system compared to the U.S. education system. This will help me gauge what the child has already been introduced to in the Panama ECE programs. It will help me better assess him and to know what type of foundation has already been establish so I can continue to build on it.

5. Gaining insight on the national youth organizations of Panama will help me explore the objectives they are trying to meet with helping children with their child development. This will help me to view current research and other projects that are working internationally to build equity and social justice.

I believe from the knowledge I've gained from diversity classes and professional development courses, that the methods I use to work with this child and his family will help the family adjust to the American culture, and most importantly help the child get the early education and child care he needs as he begin a new journey in his life as well. As I continue to advocate for young learners, this will help me explore a new culture and continue to promote social justice for children. 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Recently my family and I watched Lee Daniel's The Butler. The movie is about a butler who served seven presidents and what he and his family encountered during the major events that has helped shaped our country. The movie shows the oppression African Americans experienced during slavery. It demonstrated how unfair and unjust the laws were towards blacks and how they were not protected from the violence white people inflicted upon them. As the movie continues it shows the struggles and challenges that blacks encountered during the Civil Rights Movement. Some methods were of love and peace, while other methods where to took a fight fire with fire approach to use violence as well. This movie differently displayed how white people had the mentality that they were right, their way and methods were the best, and they were the only race deserving of what they suggested life is about. There was one scene in the movie where the main character admitted to having to have two identities. He had to pretend to be invisible when he was serving white people while in his butler role. Outside his butler role, like at home, he could be himself and be honest of how he felt about the realities of life. Equity was diminished throughout most the movie. One specific demonstration of inequity was when the butler would ask for a raise for him and other black employees at the white house. Each time he asked for the raise, he was denied it. According to the butler, not only did the black employees not get annual raises, they were not promoted to other positions within the organization, compared to the white employees. When he brought this to his supervisor's attention, not only was he denied or rejected, he was also advised to seek employment elsewhere. 

I enjoyed the movie and it is more than just entertainment for me and my family. This movie shared insight of African American history. It exposed the in depth experiences blacks faced in our country trying to get equal rights. Another scene shared how the Black Panther Party was formed. I even got a glimpse of what the Freedom Riders experienced. I'm definitely glad times have changed and my race of people, and others have rights and legal privileges now that they didn't have 60 years ago. I'm proud of those who faced those discriminators and demanded change. I'm also glad that I didn't live in that era and have to either suffer or fight along with others during that time.

It took one of the President's to help the black employees get their raise and promotions. Just think if he had of gotten it two president's sooner. A lot of changes have occurred since the butler first started working at the white house. In fact, he was able to witness President Barrack Obama become the first black president. Even though he had retired and wasn't able to serve during his administration, I'm sure after living through the struggle and now witnessing the power of those sacrifices made it worth it. Then compared to now, and knowing that racism still exist, just in different forms, we must still work towards diminishing those inequalities so history won't repeat itself.