Competent Communication

When I think of someone who demonstrates competent communication are my center manager and FSA (Family Service Advocate).  When they speak they speak with passion about different situations.  Working in low-income program they are a lot of the things to see.  However, when things are not safe for the child or for the family these two people speak on behalf of them trying to communicate with families or whoever is need at the time.  When things are reported it takes affect as so as possible.  You can tell they are doing this type of work with a passion because when things are not going as they are suppose to be they are doing whatever they have to do to make sure things are getting done properly. 

I would love to model some of these communication behaviors because they are so well spoken and every knowledgeable in what they do.  They have a passion for help others and making sure families are provided with the best services.   

Professional Hopes and Goals

One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families is that everyone is treated equally with respect regardless of their age, sex, race, religious or whatever makes them different from other. While working in the classroom hope to make everyone feel welcome and to make sure that their culture is being valued in the classroom.  I want to make sure that the children are learning at their highest potential.  I have to include that the students are safe and learning about the differences within the classroom and outside the classroom.  Through my lessons I want to make sure that my students are learning about all the differences in the world.  I want them to have an understanding that everyone is different and unique by at the same time plays an important part to society. 

 

I would like to thank my entire colleague for their comments and response to both my blog and discussion board.  I appreciate everything everyone said.  You comments and response means a lot to me and help me see things in a different way.  Thanks everyone!!  

Welcoming Families From Around the World

For this week blog we were to pretend that we are about to receive a family or a child from another country I know nothing about that will joining my group soon. I need to prepare myself to welcome the child and her family to my child care center. 

The family I received are from Madagascar an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the southeastern coast of Africa. There are a family for five a husband, wife, two daughters and a son.  They are new to states.  Daddy was offer a job and decided to move the family to the states.  The job paid for the whole family to come to the states and become citizens.  After a few years working the job ended.  The family was devastated.  They were so use to living a the middle class life.  That the thought of living on less than $1 per day was depressing.  Well the family reached out for help.  The children was referred to my center for early childhood care.  I was notify ahead of time that the family was somewhat new to the states and was still adapting to it.  So to prepare me and my staff
1.  I will read about their culture and get a generally idea about them.
2.  I will have a conference with the family to understand them better
3.  I will ask the parents what are you looking for your children to gain for the center
4.  I will incorporate their culture and beliefs in the classroom.
5.  I will ask the parents to do a lesson with the class or do a parent meeting sharing that culture and beliefs with others if its okay with them. 

Through these five things I hope that I have reached out to the family to make them feel welcome and accepted.  Through these preparation I hope I have covered the things that were need to prepare me and my staff for the new comers.  I feel like this benefit me by letting the family know that we accept them just the way they are and by researching their country it will prove to them that we tried to incorporate that way of life so how.  It benefits the family by making them feel welcome in our center and shows that care about their culture. 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Just the other day me and my mom was coming for Wal-Mart.  We were talking and having a good time.  Then she made the comment that she went partying with the white folks.  I was like ooohhh!! What do you mean partying with the white folks.  She really can not example what she meant by it. But when she could not example what she meant by partying with the white folks I said in a nice way to not single out just the white folks partying. Just say you went out last night and had a good time.    I am also guilty of this as well.  However, since I have taken this course I am trying to watch what I say and how I say it. I have came more aware of what I say and other people say around me when considering bias, prejudice, and oppression.  My mother is far from being prejudice or anything else.  She is the nicest lady on earth I think.  Just like many of us, we are use to saying things that are not meant in a prejudice or bias way. 

Another situation I have encountered myself is when a coworker made a statement about me breastfeeding or pumping so my child could receive breast milk.  I shared a comment on another colleague blog about my experience about breastfeeding.  This incident happen soon after I went back to work after having my first born.  I was working at McDonald and needed to pump.  I was on a schedule of pumping every 3 to 4 hours.  This particular day I was working an eight hour shift.  I have a lunch break and pumped but needed to pump again.  When I asked the manager to go pump it was no probably.  However, there was a bystander listening when I asked.  The comment that came out of her mouth was "We do not pay you to pump, we pay you to take orders and service the customer." Just to hear that from a woman hurts.  I thought she would be more understanding then anyone else. 

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

No one is born racist. Racism is taught. Through both explicit and implicit messages, society teaches ideas, attitudes and assumptions about race that are not true (Margles & Margles, 2010). As the Margles mention in the article racism is taught. I truly believe it. However, this might not be the case, but this is a little Hispanic child in another Head Start class where I teach that does not like the response to anyone who are white. In his class there are two teachers a white lady and a Hispanic lady. The little boy does not speak English nor Spanish well, be you can tell he is trying to learn both languages because he repeats whatever you. In the mornings we are all on the playground together. Me being sure a nice and caring teacher I try to learn all the kids name and speak to them. Because usually I am the next teacher they will see when entering Pre-K. Well this particular day this kid tried to come into my classroom. When I told him he could not come in. He hold on to my leg and almost started to cry. My center manager was out there and tried to grab him to tell him to go play and that he could not go into the classroom. He refused to let go. So the center manager called the Hispanic teacher over to get him. Once she told him to go play he did. The center manager is white and his lead teacher is white. When I asked her do he response to her in the classroom she said no. She said that she do not know what it is about him. He listen to the other teacher but not me. It could be because he speak both little English and Spanish.

This is the only case I have seen this week of micro aggressions, however, that's probably not the case, it could be language and comprehensive because he does not speak English or Spanish well. From this observation, if this is the case, I feel like the parents have something to do with it. But I do not know the parents and have not really communicated to with them to know.

From this week observation experiences this week affect my perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people by getting to know and understand them more. It might not be that they are prejudice but simply do not understand or comprehend what is been said. On the other hand, the parents or family members could be telling him things that make him dislike the whites.

Reference

 Margles, S., & Margles, R. M. (2010). Inverting racism's distortions. Our Schools/Our Selves, 19(3), 137--149. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database: http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=51372248&site=ehost-live&scope=site

   

 

 

 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

For this week blog we were to ask at least three different people their understanding of diversity and culture.  So I called two friends and a family member. Here is their definition of diversity and culture:

1st friend: Her definition of diversity is according to multiple people in the classroom such Hispanic,  American, Koran, Russian.  She label things in her class in their language and try to learn at least three words in their language. 

Her definition of culture is the quality within you.  Who you are.  What you believe.  For example, African raise their child differently by not letting them watch TV and putting education first. 

2^nd friend:  Her definition of diversity is multiple of amount or number of choices.  A lot of different things you can choose just a number of things.

Her definition of culture is your up bring, heritage, and family bonds.

3^rd family member:  Her definition of culture is people, families, parties, food, and clothes.

Her definition of diversity of is separately, different, and color, race, belief.   

 

The answers I received are somethings I have learned in this course such as, heritage, color, beliefs, language, food, and clothes. 

I think my friends and my one family member hit all the aspect of culture and diversity.  They define both words well enough to have an understanding of the words. 

Viewing my friends and family member definition of diversity and culture has not influence my own thinking on these topics.  My personal definition diversity and culture reflect their definition. 

My Family Culture

For this week assignment we are to consider that we are moving to another country and can not return until we are told to.  We can only bring 3 small items that are important to us.  However, I can not think of three things that are very important to me.  The first thing I will bring is a the Bible. I would bring the Bible to keep faith and to help me get through the days in the new country.  The second thing I would bring is the a photo album.  Even though my family is with me I would still like to think about and see what we left behind, just for memories.  The last thing I can not think of.  I have nothing else that is as important.  I have nothing in my family that has been passed down or means lot.  I am not a materialist person, so bring anything that is material would probably be a waste.  As long as I have my family with me I will survive with them.  They mean the world to me and I am sure that we will make it together in this new country as long as we stand by each other.  However, the last thing I would probably bring will be my cell phone. So I can stay in contact with ours in my life such as my friends and other people.  Maybe they could help us escape for this new country. 

This picture is of all the grandkids of my mother and father. (7 grandkids)

These are my three kids. (3 years old and twins are 1)