I apologize for my late post this evening. My family threw me a surprise birthday party today (I have never felt so loved!) and I am just now settling down for bed and was thankful to remember to post before I hit the hay!
My most passionate hope for my future as an early childhood professional is that I am able to teach my students to be accepting of all people, no matter how different they may be. I hope to exude acceptance and tolerance so that I can model it for the children. I also hope that I am able to work with all the families involved with my students lives in order to help their child reach their highest potential academically and in their identity development.
As we near the end of grad school, I am excited for all that I have learned in the past year and a half. I am so glad I have been able to put in practice what I have been learning and look forward to continuing my anti-bias work in the early childhood for many years to come.
I want to thank all my colleagues for sharing your views, experiences and comments in regards to your own anti-bias journey. I wish you the best in all your future endeavors!
Sincerely,
Jessica
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Impacts on Early Emotional Development
I chose to research Haiti because I took a missions trip there and saw first hand the poverty and difference of living in a 3rd world country versus the United States. Children in Haiti are fighting the cycle of poverty that has been transmitted from one generation to another there for years. During my time there in 2006, no children had shoes, they wandered the streets alone which can be dangerous. They rarely had shoes on, smelled and were very dirty. They would follow and ask us for money anytime we walked outside the building we were staying at.
Through the UNICEF website, I did find that children are currently fighting a cholera epidemic that is the largest epidemic in recent history. House visits are done by TEPAC water and sanitation workers, to teach families hot to sanitize their water with kits they are given. They also encourage Haitians to practice good hygiene to avoid getting cholera. Cholera is an awful infection that affects the small intestine of the infected person, causing diarrhea, vomiting and if left untreated, death.
Haitian children are also facing challenges in the Dominican Republic as they Constitutional Court is depriving Haitian children right to citizenship which affects thousands of children there. These children will be affected because they will not have access to basic social protection programs, have the ability to attain an education or degree, and even obtain identity cards and passports. This will cause the children be subject to exploitation and abuse without the basic protections so many of us may take for granted. UNICEF is working to show support for the protection of children’s physical safety and their rights.
The early emotional effects of poverty on children can be severe. They have lasting effects on children’s social competence in early childhood. Children may lack the desire to satisfy their growth needs such as the "need to know and understand things, to appreciate beauty, or to grow and develop in appreciation of others" according to Slavin (2006).
The fight against poverty and for children’s physical safety and rights is one that should continue. Children need adults to speak up for them and in a country like the United States of America, we often take many things for granted that many other countries do not have. Clean water, simple hygiene practices and protection of rights are just a few things to point out after my research. As an early childhood professional, I understand my duty to speak up for the voiceless children and to become more involved in organizations like UNICEF that helps so many children all around the world.
Through the UNICEF website, I did find that children are currently fighting a cholera epidemic that is the largest epidemic in recent history. House visits are done by TEPAC water and sanitation workers, to teach families hot to sanitize their water with kits they are given. They also encourage Haitians to practice good hygiene to avoid getting cholera. Cholera is an awful infection that affects the small intestine of the infected person, causing diarrhea, vomiting and if left untreated, death.
Haitian children are also facing challenges in the Dominican Republic as they Constitutional Court is depriving Haitian children right to citizenship which affects thousands of children there. These children will be affected because they will not have access to basic social protection programs, have the ability to attain an education or degree, and even obtain identity cards and passports. This will cause the children be subject to exploitation and abuse without the basic protections so many of us may take for granted. UNICEF is working to show support for the protection of children’s physical safety and their rights.
The early emotional effects of poverty on children can be severe. They have lasting effects on children’s social competence in early childhood. Children may lack the desire to satisfy their growth needs such as the "need to know and understand things, to appreciate beauty, or to grow and develop in appreciation of others" according to Slavin (2006).
The fight against poverty and for children’s physical safety and rights is one that should continue. Children need adults to speak up for them and in a country like the United States of America, we often take many things for granted that many other countries do not have. Clean water, simple hygiene practices and protection of rights are just a few things to point out after my research. As an early childhood professional, I understand my duty to speak up for the voiceless children and to become more involved in organizations like UNICEF that helps so many children all around the world.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
The Sexualization of Early Childhood
"Sexualization is how we treat other people (and sometimes oneself) as “objects of sexual desire . . . as things rather than as people with legitimate sexual feelings of their own.” When people are sexualized, their value comes primarily from their sex appeal, which is equated with physical attractiveness. This is especially damaging and “problematic to children and adolescents who are developing their sense of themselves as sexual beings (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009)."
My reaction to the reading this week was a mixture of anger and being surprised at some of the scenarios that have happened. I have witnessed sexualization of early childhood in my own school. The way students dress and girls wear makeup before they are in middle school. The language they use, the way boys and girl treat each other and even the way they dance. Some of my own kindergarteners dance like adults and have said/done inappropriate things I have had to contact parents about. Boys in my class stand and walk like I have seen grown men do.
Children are exposed to images of childhood idols such as Miley Cyrus being overly sexual and dolls that are way too grown up for a childlike image. I have heard a 5 year old call her own mother ugly. My heart sunk when I heard this. Growing up, I always believed my mother to be the most beautiful woman in the world. I heard another 5 year old call another students' mother fat to make the other child upset.
Children are becoming so focused on how it is important to look good. A child's identity can be harmed if they feel they are not meeting a certain standard. A girl make not feel that she is pretty enough or skinny enough. I know I felt that way as a child myself. Boys and girls will feel they need to act and look a certain a way to be accepted.
As an early childhood educator, I believe it is my duty to make a child feel and help them reach their highest potential. I focus on their strengths, not weaknesses. I try not to focus on what they are wearing. If I see inappropriate behavior, I pull that child aside and talk to them and the parent about my concerns. I do my best to make each child in my care feel successful, loved and happy. My awareness of this problem has instilled in my some curiosity so that I can stay current and find ways to help children to develop healthy identities.
My reaction to the reading this week was a mixture of anger and being surprised at some of the scenarios that have happened. I have witnessed sexualization of early childhood in my own school. The way students dress and girls wear makeup before they are in middle school. The language they use, the way boys and girl treat each other and even the way they dance. Some of my own kindergarteners dance like adults and have said/done inappropriate things I have had to contact parents about. Boys in my class stand and walk like I have seen grown men do.
Children are exposed to images of childhood idols such as Miley Cyrus being overly sexual and dolls that are way too grown up for a childlike image. I have heard a 5 year old call her own mother ugly. My heart sunk when I heard this. Growing up, I always believed my mother to be the most beautiful woman in the world. I heard another 5 year old call another students' mother fat to make the other child upset.
Children are becoming so focused on how it is important to look good. A child's identity can be harmed if they feel they are not meeting a certain standard. A girl make not feel that she is pretty enough or skinny enough. I know I felt that way as a child myself. Boys and girls will feel they need to act and look a certain a way to be accepted.
As an early childhood educator, I believe it is my duty to make a child feel and help them reach their highest potential. I focus on their strengths, not weaknesses. I try not to focus on what they are wearing. If I see inappropriate behavior, I pull that child aside and talk to them and the parent about my concerns. I do my best to make each child in my care feel successful, loved and happy. My awareness of this problem has instilled in my some curiosity so that I can stay current and find ways to help children to develop healthy identities.
References
Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction]. So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice
Classism is something I see often working in a Title 1 school. Sometimes I hear teachers complaining about parents that are "lazy" or "don't care about their child's education." I have been guilty of this myself prior to beginning my anti-bias courses. These prejudices and stereotypes can be very damaging to a child's view on his or her family and identity development. It can make the child experience feelings such as shame or discomfort. As early childhood educators, we must do our best to dispel any bias so we can develop a positive relationship with the every child's family so that we can meet the child's needs.
As a single woman and a teacher, you can imagine (OR KNOW) that I don't make as much money as most of my peers in other professions. When talking about how much teachers make, something that really bothers me is when people say "Well you have the summer's off" or connecting my work to a babysitter's duty. Some people do not realize all the hard work, both physically, emotionally and mentally that goes into a teacher's job each day. It's not like we work from 9-5 and then we relax.I spent a lot of time outside of school filling out report cards and progress reports, making assessments, lesson planning, calling parents, and so much more. I'm not sure if you would call this a "job-ism" or "classism", but it one that affects me often. My friends around the country get upset with me when I can't come to visit them, or go out with them for a night out on the down. They think that I handle my money poorly or I need to cut-back on things. I even get this from my own father. I explain to them that my money goes to bills, groceries and my classroom. The stress that I face with living on a tight income and many bills to pay, the frustrations I get from other's stereotypes/judgements of me when they know nothing about me can really affect my mood and interactions with students and families. I can see how stereotypes and misconceptions can be upsetting for a child and his/her family and how I must do my best to dispel misconceptions in myself AND my students so they can grow up to be knowledgeable, accepting and spread their knowledge and help others to acknowledge and rid their unknown biases.
Here is an awesome and inspiring video that I watch that reminds me why I went into teaching...
As a single woman and a teacher, you can imagine (OR KNOW) that I don't make as much money as most of my peers in other professions. When talking about how much teachers make, something that really bothers me is when people say "Well you have the summer's off" or connecting my work to a babysitter's duty. Some people do not realize all the hard work, both physically, emotionally and mentally that goes into a teacher's job each day. It's not like we work from 9-5 and then we relax.I spent a lot of time outside of school filling out report cards and progress reports, making assessments, lesson planning, calling parents, and so much more. I'm not sure if you would call this a "job-ism" or "classism", but it one that affects me often. My friends around the country get upset with me when I can't come to visit them, or go out with them for a night out on the down. They think that I handle my money poorly or I need to cut-back on things. I even get this from my own father. I explain to them that my money goes to bills, groceries and my classroom. The stress that I face with living on a tight income and many bills to pay, the frustrations I get from other's stereotypes/judgements of me when they know nothing about me can really affect my mood and interactions with students and families. I can see how stereotypes and misconceptions can be upsetting for a child and his/her family and how I must do my best to dispel misconceptions in myself AND my students so they can grow up to be knowledgeable, accepting and spread their knowledge and help others to acknowledge and rid their unknown biases.
Here is an awesome and inspiring video that I watch that reminds me why I went into teaching...
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