Welcoming Families From Around the World

Imagine the following scenario:

You are working in an early childhood setting of your choice—a hospital, a child care center, a social service agency. You receive word that the child of a family who has recently emigrated from a country you know nothing about will join your group soon. You want to prepare yourself to welcome the child and her family. Luckily, you are enrolled in a course about diversity and have learned that in order to support families who have immigrated you need to know more than surface facts about their country of origin.

The name of my family’s country of origin is Asia. 

The five ways in which I will prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family is by (1) learning familiar words in my family’s language (2) becoming familiar with and including the cultural traditions of my family in the classroom (3) adding classroom visuals reflecting my family’s culture (4) incorporating books that reflect their culture and (5) integrating their art, games, and music into the classroom activities. 

These preparations will benefit me and the family in many ways. There will be an ongoing process of learning for me and the family. Becoming familiar with and including the cultural traditions of the family will help me learn about my Asian family and their history. The family will have opportunities to participate in their child’s education and also have opportunities to share ideas and stories. These preparations will help me meet the needs of and be culturally responsive to my families and their children.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

I have witnessed prejudice many times. There was one occasion when I witnessed a Caucasian woman not wanting to sit next to a Hispanic woman on the tour bus. There were many people on the bus and there were just enough seats available for everyone. The Caucasian lady was standing up on the bus and the Hispanic lady told her that she could sit with her, but the Caucasian woman told her that she was okay. The Caucasian woman stood for almost an hour and we could tell she was tired of standing so someone suggested that she should go sit down but she refused to do so. Come to find out, the Caucasian woman told many people at the front of the tour bus that she did not like Hispanic people. The reasons she gave for not liking Hispanics was because they were immigrants coming into our country to take over, they should not have the same rights that we have, and they smelled.

This incident of prejudice diminishes equity by the Caucasian woman judging the Hispanic woman because of her race. She is not treating the Hispanic woman and other Hispanics fairly because of her beliefs that they are in the United States to take over. She thinks that they should not have the same opportunities that we have because they are immigrants.

This incident brings back memories of when my husband, friends, and I were waiting for the elevator to come down. A Caucasian couple was waiting also. When the elevator came down they did not want to get on with us even though they saw that there was more than enough room. They wanted to wait until another elevator came down because they did not want to get on with us because we were African-Americans. This incident had me upset for a long time.

In order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity I think that the Caucasian woman will need to change her attitude about Hispanics. She needs to gain an understanding that all Hispanics, and other races, should be treated fairly regardless their race and despite what she thinks about them. She should have sat next to the Hispanic woman on the bus, conversed with her, and learned something about her and her culture.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership. In many cases, these hidden messages may invalidate the group identity or experiential reality of target persons, demean them on a personal or group level, communicate they are lesser human beings, suggest they do not belong with the majority group, threaten and intimidate, or relegate them to inferior status and treatment (Sue, 2010).

A microaggression I detected recently, yesterday actually, was when my husband, my best friend, her husband, and I were waiting to get on an elevator. There was a white couple waiting to get on also. When the elevator came down we got in the elevator, but the white couple just stood there. My husband told them that it was enough room for them to get on, as they could see, but they declined and said that they would just wait for the next one. We all knew why they did not want to get on the elevator. I became really angry and wanted to say something rude to them, but my husband told me not to worry about it. I just wanted to understand why or what they were thinking we would do to them.

My experience this week has confirmed my certainty that prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping will never end. The assumption they made about us was that we were dangerous. This assumption was hurtful to me and it also made me angry. Just because we come from different races does not mean that we are criminals, dangerous, or abnormal. Discriminating against, labeling, and stereotyping people is wrong and can cause long-term effects. There are many who believe that prejudice and discrimination is a problem of the past, but it is not. Prejudice and discrimination still exists and incidents like the one that happened to me occur every day.

Sue, D.W. (2010). Psychology Today. Microaggression in Everyday Life. Retrieved July 26, 2014, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/microaggressions-in-everyday-life/201011/microaggressions-more-just-race

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Based on the answers I received, culture is the way a group of people live their lives. Culture is learned, can be shared, and is diverse. Our culture includes our religions, the clothes we wear, what we eat, values, rules, and much more. Culture influences so many things in our lives. Diversity is differences among people and respecting and accepting those differences such as race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, language, etc. In our conversation, we discussed how cultures can change and are dynamic, but what we did not discuss was how cultures are cumulative. The different information that people learn in their culture can be passed down from one generation to the next. We need to value diversity. Also, anti-bias education and multicultural education are very significant factors of valuing diversity.

My Hispanic friend stated that we all are different. We have different beliefs, values, and rules. He also stated how Hispanics love Mexican food and Americans love American foods, but he loves American and other cultures foods as well. My other friend likes to dress like other cultures because they have a different style than her own. She loves to be different and learn about other cultures.

When I talked to my friends about the definition of culture and diversity, they mainly replied the same. It was surprising to hear that their answers were similar. I believe that if I was to ask more friends, family members, and colleagues to give me their definition of culture and diversity, they would probably have similar definitions. Others definitions of culture and diversity has confirmed my thinking that other’s cultures can be shared and enjoyed by many people. Our cultures are different, but people everywhere have a lot in common.  

My Family Culture

Imagine the following:

A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.

It would be very difficult for me to choose only three items because I have so many items that I hold dear to my heart and that represent my family culture. But if I had to choose, the first would be my mother’s silver jewelry box that she bought for me when I was a little girl. This oval shaped jewelry box has my initials carved in it. She gave this jewelry box to me when I graduated from kindergarten. I have been continuing this tradition with my two daughters. The second item would be my huge photo album with all of my family portraits. This photo album is filled with portraits of my husband, children, mother, siblings, grandparents, nieces, nephews, in-laws, cousins, close friends; basically my entire family. This photo album is filled with people of different races. I have photos of us together at weddings, parties, reunions, baptisms, anniversaries, and many other occasions.  The third item would be the cherry wood cedar chest that my grandmother left to me before she passed away. This cedar chest has been in our family for over 100 years. She left it to me because it was always my hiding place when we played hide and seek together. It is now filled with a lot of my grandmother’s personal belonging.

If I was told upon arrival that I could only keep one of the three items that I brought with me and give up the other two, I would be devastated because each of these items means so much to me. It would be very difficult for me to choose because I have been collecting these photos of my family for a very long time and on special occasions I always put together a slideshow of the different photos. The jewelry box that I have is 30 years old now and I can’t see myself forever departing from it. My cedar chest is like a treasure box to me because of all the items I have stored in it of my grandmother’s.

As a result of this exercise, I had a talk with my mother about our family. I learned that my great great great grandfather had to leave his wife and children behind in another country so she could do better for his family. I have learned that my family was and is filled with influential people who have had many successful opportunities. I also know that since I have been associating myself with people of different cultures, I have learned a tremendous amount about their cultures.

When I Think of Research.......

Some insights that I have gained about research from taking this course are research is about uncovering and enabling the emergence of new understandings, insights, and knowledge. The purpose of research is a continuing method of correcting and refining hypotheses. The purpose of research is also about testing theories. I have learned that there is good research and bad research and research can have negative as well as positive impacts. Basically, research is about confirming what you were already sure of. My ideas about the nature of doing research have changed by after taking this course and reading the chapters in this book, I can see that doing research can take up a tremendous amount of time and can be challenging. In planning, designing, and conducting research, I have learned that research design is simply a matter of planning. According to the text, “One needs to consider what is to be researched and how, when and where the research is to take place, who will participate, what data will be collected and how these will be analyzed” (Mac Naughton, Rolfe, Siraj-Blatchford, 2010). When conducting research, you can use many source methods such as interviews and observations. A challenge I encountered was coming up with a good research topic and narrowing the topic. I really had to relax my mind and do more research on how to narrow my chosen topic and ask the instructor for guidance. Since taking this course, I am now aware of the time and hard work that early childhood professionals have and still are putting into research. I now know that early childhood professionals have contributed a great amount to research.

I would like to thank each and every one of you for the support and feedback you provided me throughout this course. Good luck to you all in this course and in future courses!!!!

Mac Naugthon, G., Rolfe, S., and Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research:

            international perspectives on theory and practice (2nd Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-

            Hill 

Research Around the World

Some of the current international research topics are:

Every Child Vol. 20 No. 1 - Supporting best practice RIPS 1401 - Professional partnerships in children's services: working together for children EDL 1401 - Everyday learning about agency in the early years There were some facts and insights that I gained from exploring this international early childhood website. Climate change can have a huge impact on young children. According to the website, “In Australia, attention to climate change and its environmental, economic and social impacts has been spurred on by deepening concerns about diminishing water supplies and rising fuel costs, and uncertainty about future energy supplies” (Davis, 2007).  A role for early childhood education. “Children, the most vulnerable humans, are at the greatest risk from our unsustainable practices even more so because they face greater, and longer, exposure to the worst of the consequences. We need to do things differently. Unless we change our way and soon our children and future generations will inherit a sadly depleted earth, and their own contributions will exacerbate the problems. Children are, after all, already growing up as 'little consumers', many already suffering from what has been termed 'nature deficit disorder': the cumulative effect of a lack of experience in, appreciation of and care for the natural world. Technological solutions, such as using renewable energy and fuel-efficient cars, will be important. So too will social solutions, such as ecologically designed suburbs that facilitate 'green transport' and local waste processing. Education also has a crucial role in shifting our thinking and actions towards more sustainable ways of living. Moreover, early childhood education must be active in playing its part in influencing people to engage in sustainable living. The early childhood education field, until recently, has been very slow to take up the sustainability challenge.  Nevertheless, there are some excellent examples of early childhood centers and services that do model sustainable practices as part of their curriculum, thereby supporting children to be social and environmental activists as part of their curriculum. It is important to congratulate and showcase such organizations, in order for us all to learn and benefit from their example.  What can the early childhood education field do? While being informed about global warming and its impact on young children is important, it is not enough. We must focus on how even very young children with the support of caring and concerned adults can be agents for change. This is not a 'doom and gloom' approach to education for sustainability, in which children are confronted by images of dying birds, drowning polar bears, choking smog and urban slums. Rather, it is transformative education that values, encourages and supports children to be problem-seekers, problem-solvers and action-takers in their own environments. Young children can even lead the way for adults, helping to change their parents' and teachers' environmental awareness and behaviors. It is necessary for adults to work with young children to support them in becoming environmental activists none of us can afford to leave global warming for someone else. As educators, we all need to develop dispositions that encourage care and consideration of the Earth and for the future. One way to do this is to consider the Earth Charter as a guide to our own awakening. The Earth Charter is a declaration founded on the principles of 'global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the human family and the larger living world’. What else can we do with and for children? Ensure children get to play in quality, natural environments (or, at least, in 'naturalized' outdoor settings) where they can have deep engagement with the natural world. Involve children as participants with legitimate ideas, perspectives and creative responses in authentic learning and action around meaningful environmental and social issues. Model 'green housekeeping' practices in our early childhood care and education centers and services, such as minimizing waste, and reducing water and energy consumption. Build sustainability into policies and practices so others know where we stand, and use this to communicate with and educate the wider community. Find out more about climate change and sustainability issues seek current, reliable information about the state of the planet. Join early childhood environmental education networks and become campaigners and co-learners with colleagues. Use collective power to challenge employers, professional associations, accreditation services and teacher education institutions to include education for sustainability as part of pre-service education and professional development. Advocate for 'child-friendly' communities, towns and cities where urban design, transport systems and architecture enable children and families to have safe, open environments that promote play, health and wellbeing” (Davis, 2007). Davis, J. (2007). Early Childhood Australia: The voice for young children. Climate Change and its Impact on Young Children. http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/resource_themes/sustainability_global_warming_and_climate_change/climate_change_and_its_impact_on_young_children.html