: Professional Hopes and Goals

Blog Assignment:  Professional Hopes and Goals

One hope that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds

One hope that I have when thinking about working with children and families who come from diverse background is that children and families want have to worry about being accepted in society as well as in the classroom. Another hope is when children enter into the classroom there are programs and training prepared for them to help with the changes they will face in a different environment.

One goal you would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice

One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field as it relates to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to prepare educators, children and families before they enter the classroom. As the professional stated in video, “ you may not have all the answers, its important to know what direction one needs to go in.

A brief note of thanks to your colleagues

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues and Profess Morgan for a great class experience. I have enjoyed the discussions and blog assignments. I hope to get the opportunity to take others courses with you all.

Happy Holidays to You All:

Tonetta Bogard- Marion

: Welcoming Families From Around the World

The name of “my” family’s country of origin is

Africa

Five ways in which I will prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family

1.  Research is the key. If my family is coming from Africa it is important for me as the educator to know all there is to know about what part of Africa there from and learn about their culture and belief.   Ask the family question about their expectation for the program and how we can meet those expectations.

2.  Develop tools to address difficult issues of discrimination and oppression and always respect the individual child.

3. As a early childhood educator it’s important to make sure that the program is rooted in children needs and experiences.

4.  Always encourage children to discuss their family heritage to encourage self- knowledge and a positive self-concept.

5.  Widen the friend and colleagues acquaintances and make sure it includes people of different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.

Brief statement describing in what ways I hope that these preparations will benefit both you and the family

It is so important to make sure you learn as much as possible about children and families of diver culture in order to meet their needs. In order to meet their needs I must get pass the discrimination and oppression and make sure all children are being respected. This can be done when children are encouraged to discuss their family heritage. As an early childhood educator it is important to continue training and surround myself with friends and colleagues that can help with the learning process as it relates to backgrounds, cultures, and experiences of the children and families I will one day serve.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

The memory, I experience with biases was at a childcare center I worked at. One my co worker and I were discussing her wedding. She went into details about the wedding at a chapel in the casino. She went on to say we only had one problem I asked her what was the problem? My co worker stated the only problem was my husband did not want to be married by a colored man. I sat there trying to process the words that just came out of her mouth.

My first reactions are you really seriously using the word colored man? At that very moment I was floored about her statement. I could not believe that anyone especially someone is their early twenties would use colored man. The only word that would describe my feeling at that moment was surprise.

I handle the situation by explaining to my co-worker that her statement was inappropriate. I let her know that not all people would have taken the comment she made in a good way. She thanked me for letting her know that what she said was so inappropriate. I feel that some people are ignorant to the affects of their words and actions.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggression

At my job at the school, I make announcements on a daily bases. Some of my colleagues often emphasize the fact that I speak well. When my colleagues first made the comment, I did not think anything about it. The same colleagues continued to make the same comments about the way I speak. I begin to wonder what point they were trying to make about the way I spoke.

It was so weird to believe that people could really assume that I should speak or act a certain way because of my race.

Part two:

Discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes on people are things you hear about on a daily bases. Until you actually experience it yourself will you see it in a different light.  Discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes on people can be very hurtful. Sometime people do not realize or do not care about the affects of their words or actions.

Understanding microaggression and its effects on people is very helpful when working with families and children.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

1. Family member:

Their definition of culture is one person’s way of life.

Their definition of diversity is people of different races

2. Friend

Their definition of culture is a family’s tradition

Their definition of diversity is people of difference nationalities.

3. Family member:

Their definition of culture is people traditions and religious belief

Their definition of diversity is people who have difference ways of life.

I think the answer my friends and families gave related mostly with surface culture.

Examples are people customs. How people celebrate holidays.

What was omitted from their answers was ideas of education, the gender roles of family member and housing arrangements.

Examples are: The male role family as provider, the female role in the family as home maker

How the family feels about education of different family members

When asking family members and friends about diversity and culture it is funny how people have to stop and really think about the question. Similar to my own thinking when I thought about my own culture I had to stop and think about the question. I had never really thought about my own way of life and how my family does things as it relates to culture and diversity.

MY FAMILY CULTURE

The three items I would choose are my grandmother quilt, photo album, and memories.

My grandmother’s quilt

I would explain to other that when I was little my grandmother made the most beautiful quilts. I can remember how colorful they were. She never purchases material for the quilts. My grandmother would cut out pieces from old dresses, table cloths and remember thinking that was going to be interesting looking quilt. Every quilt she made was unique and not one quilt looked like the other.

Photo album

When I was growing up my favorite uncle when take picture at every event. It did not matter what went own is our family my uncle took lots and lots of pictures. After he died my cousin took over the family tradition of taking lots and lots of pictures.

Memories

There is nothing greater than your memories. All the time you shared with your family. The tradition that you have grown to know as everyday part of your life was always be embedded in your memories.

It really wouldn’t bother me if they took my personal items. The one thing I know they could not take was my last chose is my memories. In my opinion that’s the most important chose of all. They can take my grandmother’s quilt, my photo albums but the memories of how each thing impacted my life can never be taken away.

Insights:

After completing this assignment and thinking how I would feel to be sent to another country or go live in another country and not know their culture would be life changing experience. I now understand how other people from different part of world probably feel when they came to America and no one cares out their culture.

When I Think of Research

The insights I have gained about research from taking this course are:

1. Having a basic understanding the research process

2. Selecting a topic that’s not too broad and researchable

3. How to go about choosing participates for the research

4. Will the research be quantitative or qualitative?

5. Choosing the right design that will fit the research

In what ways have my ideas about the nature of doing research changed?

My understanding of how research is done has changed. I never knew so many components go into research. I have learned so much about the nature of good research and I look forward to learning how to apply what I have learned.

The lessons I have learned about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood is that it is not as easy as it seems. The thought process is hard, takes a lot of time, and revising to formulate a topic that is researchable.

Some of the challenges I encountered was the research process. I have never looked at research the way it was explained in this course. It language used was different for me. With Dr. Davis guiding me and reading my colleagues post, especially Stephanie throughout this course I understand how research is done and the right questions to ask.

This course has been a real challenge for me, but a great learning experience. I have enjoyed the discussion with my colleagues and the comments from Dr. Davis. I wish everyone success in their other courses. I hope to be able to share with you again.

Tonetta Bogard- Marion

Reference:

  Mac Naughton, G., Rolfe, S.A., Siraj-Blatchford, I, (2010).  Doing Early Childhood Research

Blog Assignment: Research around the World

ECDVU Sub-Saharan Africa: Mission Statement

To further develop African ECD leadership capacity as a key strategy in support of child, family and community well-being and broader social and economic development.

ECDVU Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Program Overview

The Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) is an innovative and multifaceted approach to addressing ECD capacity building and leadership development in Africa. The ECDVU is supported by a range of international, regional and local organizations, including the employers of participants. It is a unique training and results-oriented program that uses face-to-face and distributed learning methods including: residential seminars, web-based instruction, CD-Rom and print material support, and a 'community of learners' strategy within and among cohort countries. Typically, ECDVU participants are nominated by ECD country committees; these committees' nominations are based on achieving inter-sect oral, multi-organizational representation and evidence of individual commitment to child well-being and broader social development within the country. Nominees accept responsibility for promoting ECD capacity within their country, their region and internationally.

The first topic I chose was the Development of an Integrated Early Childhood Development Urban Model Training Program for Informal Minders and Community Volunteers in Ghana.

The facts and insights I gain was the Ghana office of UNICEF introduced the IECD program aimed at promoting the survival, growth, protection, and education, all key components of development of the child aged 0-8 years, and worked to develop a working model for ECD centre which can also be used in communities where there are no such centre.   

The second topic I chose was the Status of Coordination and Supervision of Early Childhood Education in Ghana.

This topic emphasis on coordination and supervision of ECD programs the research discussed the evidence and rationale for coordination and supervision, types of coordination and some guiding principles for effective coordinating, how it has worked successfully in some other countries and the lessons learnt from those countries.

The noteworthy information that I have gained from the website is that countries around the world are taking steps to improve early childhood programs.

Reference:

Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA):

http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/index.php http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php