Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

My nephew was diagnosed as having autism spectrum disorder when he was five years old. This year he entered high school and is studying all day in the classroom with typical developing children. This week he was departing the bus after school at the bus stop when he experienced microassult by a couple of the bus riders. He was deliberately called retarded and mocked by them imitating how he flapped hands. I was surprised that it had happened in the presence of his mother and me as though we were not there. I was angry to discover that it happened previously and his mother was not informed by the bus driver. It was upsetting seeing him emotional and treated like that because of his differences.

The observation helped me realize how often and how easy people are hurt and harmed intentional or unintentional on a daily basis by comments. Individuals, leaderships, and communities at large have a lot of work to do resolve discrimination, prejudice, and stereotyping. Will it really every rate as an issue of importance to seriously address in society?

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied were “dominant” in one of the responses. It was shared that if you are born rich you see things from rich perspective and gives no consideration to the less privileged. Also, an element of “deep culture” was addressed in the response of community connection and prospects for having equal opportunities.

A relative defined culture as a lifestyle created by our background and race in our environment, and diversity as including other people from different countries to advance their goals in spite of beliefs or what they look like.

 A co-worker who is Hispanic defined culture as a connection with community and family history that involve customs of language, foods, music, and history. She defined diversity as respecting other people’s traditions and their right to have a good life of education for children and work in America.

A friend defined cultural as family roots and heritage, and defined diversity as understanding other races of people and letting everybody in to share in the hope of equal opportunity.

Reflecting on these definitions of culture and diversity reaffirmed the fact that we have to move beyond “surface culture” and go deep into it.  Also, we have to embrace diversity in our society because it is here to stay.  We have to really understand all components diversity and culture in order to promote social justice for children in the classroom.

Family Culture

If a major catastrophe devastated my country and I had to leave I would bring my bible, family photo album, and music. The bible would be important because it is a source of inspiration and strength for building my faith. Family photo would be essential because of the connection and memories it holds for the important people in my close knit immediate and extended family that have always been a major part of my life. Growing up music and singing was a huge part of our interactional pastime and it remains significant part of me today. It is very stimulating; moves and evokes various emotions from me.

I am sure feelings of hurt and sadness would be present at the prospect of leaving the other items behind that were dear to me. I would see this as unjust and disregarding a part of my life.

Insights about myself

My Christian faith and looking out for each other is and has been important to our family culture. My grandmother took us to Sunday school and church every Sunday and shared family history. As an adult I found myself doing the same with my daughters.

Insights about family culture

It was interesting reflecting on the impact of family culture during my childhood remaining equally as important as an adult. All of the chosen items were major components of my life as a child. It gave a deeper understanding concerning how cultures of children and their families go deep and is extremely critical in making them who they are. Therefore we have to go beyond “surface culture” in our working with children and families.

When I think of research

Before taking this course, I knew very little about research. I always thought it was for other people.  Initially, I felt overwhelmed at contemplating doing early childhood research. It was difficult and took a lot of focus.  My knowledge has broadened through learning new terminology and how research is conducted.  I learned the difference between quantitative and qualitative research design and their purposes in research and variables roles in the process.  I sincerely believe that the knowledge gained from learning the research process will be a great asset to me going forward in my professional career in my Head Start program. When I read or hear these terms at work I will have a better understanding of their meaning.

A challenge that I encountered for several weeks was being too broad when formulating my hypothesis and research question; however, I was able to narrow my thinking and get it together.

I would like to thank you all for sharing your ideas and knowledge throughout this Building Research Competencies course.

Research Around the World

The Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) is an innovative and multifaceted approach to addressing ECD capacity building and leadership development in Africa. It is supported by international, regional and local organizations. The purpose of ECDVU is to improve the quality of life for children and their families in Africa. It also focuses on the importance of leadership and local engagement in support of diversity and social equity in the early years. The program seeks to accomplish this through working, on a sustained basis, with ECD leaders from across the continent.

 http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/about.php

Some research topics are:

addiction

cultural and contextual diversity

child development

early learning initiatives

innovation in practices

 professional development

 higher education and scholarly productivity

It was interesting and noteworthy reading about “Generative curriculum" that encompasses the following characteristics:

·          learner-focused approach - drawing as much as possible on the learner's experiences in their personal and professional lives;

·         ecological approach - placing individuals, programs and policies into an interactive and dynamic context and seeking to plan activities and interventions to maximize resonating impact throughout the larger ecology;

·         capacity building approach - aiming to strategically strengthen the capacities of participants to effectively fulfill their mandates in their professional position to be accountable to their constituents and the broader ECD community.

·         co-constructive approach - encouraging each learner to draw upon provided curriculum material as well as their own in-country experience and data to derive their own perspectives  

·         multicultural approach - considering ideas, research, and goals pertaining to child care and development from different cultural sources.

·         cohort driven approach - encouraging collaboration, reciprocal learning among peers, and consolidation of networks within and between learners representing each participating country

http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/generative.php

It is great to see so much effort and collaboration among countries in place to help children and families across poor nations to have a better quality of life.

Research that benefit children and families

A couple of years ago I attended a tri-county cluster meeting of Head Start teachers and Kindergarten teachers who shared results of a collaborative study concerning inappropriate behaviors of current children who had attended Head Start to determine possible link between the two. The study was conducted in a number of kindergarten classrooms. Parents, head start mental health and education specialist, teachers, and children who distributed behaviors were participants in the study.  Children were talked with in informal setting with question, “why do you feel sad or angry while at school.” Data was collected and analyzed with results overwhelmingly stating, “I can’t play in centers, or I can’t play with toys” or responses that were similar. In the study parents addressed frustration of being called by the teachers repeatedly. The approach expanded to include additional kindergarten classrooms within the three counties and similar behaviors and results were found that there was a link. I'm not sure what if any changes occurred as a result of the study. I thought about the story when reading blog assignment.

It must be difficult for some children to transition from play environments to very structural direct instruction.

 

My Personal Research Journey

The topic I chose for the simulation was evidenced-based science on how children grow and develop.  I understand that this topic encompass many variables. It was chosen because I want to increase my knowledge in this area that is profoundly impacting the direction of early childhood education.  As a Head Start teacher, it is always my endeavor to do the best for the children and their families that I have the opportunity to serve every year.  It is important to prepare my four year olds for school and hopefully life success.

Personally, having the ability to share knowledge that might benefit my community will be rewarding. Also, the work and commitment entailed in understanding how to research will be valuable to me. Reading the articles that show how to analyze research information has been a learning experience. Also, creating the research chart and learning new terms is opening a different avenue to learn how to Of course, reading discussion post is always helpful.

I welcome any insights and resources from colleagues that might assist me in navigating and learning from this course and research simulation.  Likewise, I will share information and resources with you.