Thank you Everyone

First I want to thank everyone in this class that supported me and took the time out of their day to respond to my discussion questions or help me on my journey in this class.

• One hope that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds 
• My hope that I have when working with the diversity with my families is, everyone that I come in contact with will be as excited as I am to continue to learn to build a stronger community and a better way to communicate.
• One goal you would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice (any format and any length)
• One goal I would like to set for myself is in the next 8 years to fluent in a language other then my own. This is something that is not only important to me but I feel a true passion for this cause.
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The New Student

My family has arrived from Spain. I will be culturally responsive by having different phrases hung on my wall in order for the staff to become better acquainted with the child.

¡Hola! - Hello

¿Cómo está usted? (frm) ¿Cómo estás? - How are you?

No entiendo / No comprendo – I don't understand

¡Lo siento! - I'm sorry

Un idioma nunca es suficiente – One language is never enough

I would research and ask questions about the cultural background of the family and make my schedule adjustable for any questions.

I would ask the family to bring in objects from their home so our class could become more acclimated with the child.

We would read folk tales from Spain and look at globes, pictures.

We would also feast on authentic Spanish food

I would hope these adjustments would not only benefit the child that is entering my classroom but also my other students. These small tasks would add to cultural equity and hopefully the children would not only benefit from this in early childhood but carry the experiences throughout their lives.

Resources

(2013) Omnigolt retrieved from http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/spanish.php

Racist Comments

• What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like.

The assistant director at my center tells the story of when she was in the Kindergarten room years ago. There was a child that was giving her an especially hard time and she turned to correct them. The child stopped what they were doing and turned, looking at the assistant director saying, “ My father said I didn't have to listen to you because you were nothing but a monkey.” My assistant director said her heart had never felt so broken. She is a black woman.

• In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?
  Because of the racist comment from the father, the assistant director was not looked at as an authority figure. Much less a human being.
• What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

This brings up feelings of sadness for the assistant director that she had to experience this, sadness for the child that she will grow up with such a racist outlook on life and hatred for the father.

• What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

In order for equity in the kindergarten class we would have to bring more diversification in the classroom. Through literature, food, speakers, music ect it would have to be taught that an African American or anyone should never be called such horrific things. Last year in the Kindergarten class they went to the museum and learned what slavery was.