Throughout my coursework in this
Early Childhood Studies program I have learned that situations that have
occurred in my personal life, regarding issues related to diversity, can have a
positive or negative impact on the way I function in the workplace and interact
with children and their families. I have had to confront issues that I
thought I had buried as well as address and deal with any bias I had. With the insights and strategies I have
gained from this course and program, my hope is that I can make all
interactions with children and families positive regardless of what I may be
experiencing, or may have experienced in my personal life.
An “ism” that I have experienced in
the past is racism. Because of the pain I still carried due to racism, I
did not allow myself to develop relationships with white people. I always had my guard up when I was around
them and I carried this into my classroom.
I will be honest and say that if I
had to deal with racist behavior on a daily basis it would be very difficult
for me to do my job. I work at a
predominantly white school and I not sure if I would be able to separate my
personal feelings from work. Thank God
that is not the case!
If there was an issue amongst the
children in my class that involved any “ism”, I would encourage discussions, using persona
dolls, that would allow me and the children in my class to discuss any
racism that we feel we have experienced and how it made us feel. I could
also ask families to send in pictures of them with their child or children to
post on bulletin boards or the wall and talk about how each family is
different. These activities and discussions, as well as providing books
and other materials for the learning environment, would help me to effectively
communicate with children and their families, as well as help children learn to
accept and respect racial similarities and differences.
Hi Keli,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post! It is amazing how many things we have learned thru our journey at Walden University! It has been a privileged to get to know everyone and watch as we all grow.
Keli,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post and appreciate your honesty. We all have baggage that we carry with us, that affects us in unforeseen ways. However, as we reflect on our lives and recognize our difficulties, we can begin to overcome our past. Reflection is the most important tool that an educator has. Through reflection we can recognize how our perception is affecting our relationships with others. Also, we can use our experiences to help others going through similar situations. By helping others with experiences from our past, I feel that it helps us heal.
Thank you again for being so open with your struggles. it is never easy when we have to admit that we have issues (at least it is for me).
Thanks,
Amanda
References
Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Keli,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you have had to contend with racism. It is sad that this day and age more Whites are not willing to examine their own biases and their privilege which gives them more access to resources and opportunities. Simply put, we have all got to have a conversation about the fact that racism does exist. Just because there is a black president and things appear equal to those ignorant to the design of racism doesn't mean institutional racism doesn't exist. Let's take Ferguson for example. So many Whites can't understand why it's not okay that Darren Wilson shot Mike Brown. He didn't shoot to wound him, he shot to kill. This speaks to a larger epidemic of police and their relationships with the black community at large. Then they can't understand why the blacks in that town would loot. They feel they have no other choice but to get attention in that way. I have taken the time, as a white person, to research, to open my mind, and to educate myself. I hoped that a dialogue would be started about how to heal and repair this, but alas it seems we have been further divided. I wish you the best.
Keli,
ReplyDeleteIt is unfortunate that you had to deal with racism. I am so sorry for that. I am glad that you are not experiencing that anymore and that in your current position things are not that way. Thank you for sharing that with us and I feel that your ideas on how to deal with a situation like that are very appropriate.
Great post!
Rachael
That fact that you can admit the pain racism has caused you in the past is a major step in the right direction. Try to be open minded but if you feel that you can not be then do not be afraid to call on someone in a supervisor role to help guide you through it so that you do not feel like you are being personally attacked again.
ReplyDeleteKeli,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that you definitely have to deal with your own -isms before being understanding of all people. Parents are a big influence on children and the role of the educator is to dispel some of the biases that children have.
Keli
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post, and yes it is sad that we are still going through racism. And its true that we have to deal with ourselves before dealing with others. You gave a very good idea on how to deal with that kind of situation.