This week's class information and assignment is centered on what we as educators should do if we were being targeted for an "ism" within our personal life, and how that would affect the way we are functioning within the classroom with our children and their families.
In my scenario, I imagine that I have faced being stereotyped against (as I have) for being a Black Woman, who is in what has been deemed the "lower" socio-economic status, from other teachers or staff members within the very same school that I am employed. I know personally that if this occurred within the school or educational center that I worked, that first of all I must not be surrounded by individuals who were on the same thinking pattern as me, (i.e. that the children are the main focus). I know that I also would need to find positive energy to tap into when interacting with people as close as the staff members.
Within the media segment that we viewed this week, the Early Childhood Educator, Eric Hoffman, stated that whenever we interact with the children within the classroom, we should focus on helping them to learn about issues through a "child-like" mindset, rather than the "adult" stuff that is going on within society,and more closely our lives (Laureate Education, 2011). With this point in mind, I believe that we should make it our focus to not let our personal frustration overwhelm us within the classroom. In this case it may be more profitable to present little mini-learning lessons with the kids through something such as food or little skits, and be open and honest (with discretion) about my own feelings about shareable parts of my own situation (using myself as an example). The text emphasizes the fact that children need guidance in understanding not only their own views on culture and race, but also how others view these same "isms" and their dealing with those subject matters (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). I believe that the key is to make sure that children understand the dangers in stereotypes and microaggressions, and as educators though we may be experiencing harsh and foul experiences with bias, we should turn that scenario into a teachable moment!
References:
Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Learning about fairness: Culture, language, and economic class [DVD]. Strategies for working with diverse children. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Hi, Iesha!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post. An excerpt from your post stated, "The text emphasizes the fact that children need guidance in understanding not only their own views on culture and race, but also how others view these same "isms" and their dealing with those subject matters (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). I believe that the key is to make sure that children understand the dangers in stereotypes and microaggressions, and as educators though we may be experiencing harsh and foul experiences with bias, we should turn that scenario into a teachable moment!"
I totally agree with the textbook as well as your statement but here is where the "rubber meets the road" for me...in the 21st century, why is racism still a "thing"? We have movies such as Star Wars and Star Trek that show how ever species work together for a common goal...we have animals that raise other species animals such as the monkey raising tigers...we have fruit that wonderful hybrids of two different fruits such as peaches and plums make nectarines. Get the picture that I am painting? For the love of God and the 11 disciples left...why can't humans get it together?!
We have got to do better...Quay
I think that you are absolutely correct here..I think sometimes that I am also blown away at the fact that many times in ancestrial days before any "foreign disturbance" (if you catch my drift), the indigenous peoples of the land had a system of co-existence that was not always 100% peaceful, but at least was a system that worked for them; however we struggle as a people with existing with one another over very trivial matters. You said it best: We need to get it together!
DeleteIesha,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I really like how you mentioned, in dealing with "isms" in the classroom setting, to bring it down to the child's level in ways they can understand. I know in our adult world we can get so frustrated and bogged down with the bias and stereotypes we have as adults and that can easily carry over to our children. However, we are not helping our children learn to honor differences if we do not let them honor the differences in their own level and not ours. If children can be taught to honor differences in small ways when they are young, as they grow they will learn to honor those differences in proportion to their own experiences. Great post!