Communicating and Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field

Effective Communication 

There are multiple different sections in the field of education. When working so closely with children and their families it is very important to make sure to have effective communication skills. From this week alone I have learned in further detail how much communication can have a determining factor on those around us. 

The one person I choose that I feel demonstrates competent communication is my Aunt Belinda. She has been a teacher for 20 years and growing. Working with children she has to have patients and strong understanding in order to be able to communicate effectively with the children and their families. I have observed first hand the way my aunt communicates with the all types of children in her care. I have observed her deal with disrupted children in her classroom and the way she communicated with the children. She made sure to give the direct eye contact by getting on their level and speaking with them and not at them. As I have studied before and she has explained to me children respond better when you show them you are listening and want to hear the issue rather than scold them for their wrong doings. My aunt is definitely someone I would like to model because her methods have helped her be the prosperous person she is today. 

Professional Hopes and Dreams

My professional journey I can say started out kind of shaky, but I would not change the lessons I have learned along the way. One hope I have for working with children and families is that I can help influence the both of them into a positive direction in the futures. One goal I would have set for the early childhood field related to diversity, equity, and social justice is to pay closer attention to the underlining message we are sending to our children. During this course the study of this topic has really touched my heart and made me realize how important it really is especially with working with children. 

Working in this field requires a true love and passion to the education of children. I wish all of my colleagues the best of luck along their journey and remember it only takes one educator to show a child they believe and care about them for them to prosper. Best of wishes and Good Luck.

Welcoming Families From Around the World

1. Learn what their views are on education 
2. Think of ways to relate their views and what we have to offer here at our center
3. Study key facts about the country that was I can show the family I am interested in the new culture experience they will be bringing to our center. 
4. Learn what holidays or special celebrations that are key to their cultural and speak with teachers of the classrooms the children will be going into, and think of ways of adding these celebrations to our curriculum.
5. Be able to relate to the families special needs and be sure to find a way to accommodate them. 

From previous experience I have learned how important it is to know as much information about a new possible family coming into your center. Especially when coming from a different country the center has to keep in mind this is the first representation of how a new place. I would hope incorporating these five ideas that it will make the family feel at ease and comfortable with their children being in our care. 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Sometimes the memories we would like to forget are the ones that last forever.

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? 

        A memory I have of someone being prejudice was when I was working at a preschool and I observed a 3 year old teacher speaking and treating one of her students differently. After a parent teacher conference the teacher learned about this child's home life and how his mother did not "fit into" the category of parents as her other children. This teacher decided she wasn't going to work as hard with this child because she felt as if it would be a waste of her time because the mother would not follow up with the learning strategies at home. 

In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice, and/ or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

         As an educator this teacher should not have allowed for her personal biases about the mother and their family life interfere with her responsibilities as an instructor. She allowed for her personal biases to diminish her equity of this particular student on a chance of receiving the same amount of support and encouragement as the other classmates. 

What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

         This incident makes me think how many other students not only in preschool's but in public schools that teachers have the same mentality as this teacher did. It makes me sad to think about how many children out there who are not given a chance or automatically labeled because of their life outside or school. 

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

         In the preschool setting I have learned each teacher is as good as their director. In this situation I believe in order for this type of behavior to change the teacher would have to see more direction and a better example set from the director in order to change her mindset on treating her students the same. 

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Learning about microaggressions this week aloud for me to really pin point some situations that I have witnessed that were unsettling for me. In my last management position my director and I were in the process of looking for our summer hires for our summer program. She explained she knew of someone that she felt would be great for the position the only issue was that she was pregnant and did not feel she would be able to adequately perform her duties because of this situation. She then explained that she didn't exactly have a choice but to hire her because of the discrimination law. After having this staff member come in and sign her hiring paper work the director and her assistant as I had witnessed before proceeded to joke about the way this staff member talked, the things she said and mocked her actions. I would not have made a big deal about the situation except I now realize this was a racial microaggression that had occurred one to many times.This situation made me lose respect for my superior and her assistant from this day forward.  

   

Even though some may not see any harm in the things that they say or ways they mock others I realize it can be hurtful and send off the wrong message to those around them or even to that person and make that person change their perception of you as a person. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

When I was deciding on the three people to choose to ask this week's discussion questions to I wanted to make sure the answers I received would in some way be different from the person I previously asked. 

• 3rd Grade teacher is Alief isd:

"Culture is way we life our lives. It is the traditions we have and the ways we as people choose to raise our children and the morals and values we choose to instill in them."

"Diversity is the change and differences we see from the outside looking in. Diversity is what we view in others that is abnormal from our everyday life."

• State wide truck driver: 

"Culture is in which the way the society sets each race into groups. Culture is the way we are raised and the way we choose to raise our children."

"Diversity is the differences in which we are share that make us separate from everyone else."        

• Full time college student (Junior)

"Culture is the characteristics in which makes us who we are, in a way it is like asking what is our race."

"Diversity is the ways that makes you different from the rest."


During this process of course I never expressed the notion of what was a right and wrong answer but instead I wanted to present the question as what was the first thing that pops into your head when asked this question.

The aspect of culture being traditions and ways of living are some examples of ways I have studied about culture during this course. This week asking others outside of this course who are not studying and thinking of these topics every week as myself was very interesting. To be able to get what I like to call a random point of view sometimes is more appealing than those I receive in a course with me. 

My Family Culture

If I had to choose three items that would remind me of my family culture I would have to think about the three items that we hold the most close. 


The first item would be a miniature version of the American flag that was given to my family when my grandfather passed. 

The next item I would would choose would be a collage of my family members. There isn't anything most important than family and what better way to remember them when their away than to look at pictures of your happy times. 

With everyday that goes by I wear a remembrance of my late grandfather. My final item would be my urn charm with his ashes inside. 

If once I arrived at the destination I was told I could only keep one item I would choose my collage of pictures of family. if I could not keep all of items that mean the most I would rather see the images of the great times shared. 


I have learned this week to spend more time with my family because I never know when I will lose that opportunity for any reason. I have also learned to appreciate the items I have that help to remind me of those I have already lost.