Our Professional Journey continues...

My greatest hope when working with families from diverse backgrounds is that I provide them with the needed support and guidance that they require. Sounds easy but much like the subject matter my thought runs deep this is not something I say in passing. I think each family is unique and so are their specific needs.  My thought is that we will be able to establish a strong sense of mutual respect and trust and with that it will help guide us in determining their needs and the specific needs of their child. Too, I will learn from them and they too will learn from me. And with this shared knowledge this will be lead us on the path and will guide us!

My goal for the early childhood field is that we should try and raise the bar on how we are serving families in regard to equity and quality. I have been in Arizona for just a short time and I see that we as professionals still have loads of work to do helping empower families. In Arizona I see that there is a great deal of inequity especially in the rural communities. My hope is that we can work harder to understand the importance of a families’ culture and embrace this.

A special thank-you goes out to each of my colleagues. My journey is enriched by each of you. Your professional thoughts and insights allow me to grow and truly do enrich this my Masters experience.

My hope is that our paths will still be moving together. If so I look forward to it. And if not. I wish you all the best. For those who are taking the last course I will see you, figuratively on January 7^th.

Wishing you all a safe and Happy Holiday Season, and a Great New Year.

Yes, and Dr. Shephard a special thank-you from me to you! I have learned so much!!

You are a great instructor!!!

All of my best! Millie

A child from Kenya my preparations is helping him to feel welcome.

Welcoming a child from Kenya would be a great cultural experience for all involved. Prior to the child's arrival, I would make it point to learn all that I can about Kenya and of the child's home village. I would read and learn as much as I could about the family and there reason for moving to this country. This may help me to better relate to the family and to be culturally responsive and possibly their emotional "climate, " prior to arriving to the United States.

Within my classroom setting, I would try to find items that are native to his country. I would work hard to boost up my multicultural area of my room as well as weaving additional "Kenya artifacts within the landscape of my classroom. Within the library area, he may find a sisal basket holding some of the books. I would try and have a weaving activity that would have the colors of the flag or a piece of  batik cloth may be stretched within the housekeeping area. I too would try and find some instruments from the region and place them within the music area of the classroom. I too would post pictures that are indicative of the landscape and of the animals that are inhabited in Kenya.

My hope is to have the parents come and visit and stay in the classroom prior to the child's first day of class. With hope of bridging the home and school and keeping in mind how important it is for the family to feel comfortable about sending their child to a new environment. During this visit, I would work hard at trying to establish a relationship with the family, I would too ask them of ways that I could help them to be comfortable with the new change. Being mindful of their culture and customs. My goals to would involve ways to bridge the gap between family and home. I would inevitably ask the family if they would be willing to share with the class common customs, food and parts of the language with the classroom.

My hope too is that the family would be able to bring in a picture of themselves and allow us to hang it up with the other family classroom photos.

I too would want to try and see if the family would be willing to share with us any artifacts from their native country.

Providing materials, and activities and acclimating myself with the Kenya customs and culture would be beneficially to both the children within the classroom, the family and the child. By providing this we are working hard to provide a unified front as well as a comfort level for all involved.

My Personal Side of Prejudice

When I was a junior in high school, I experienced a situation that was oppressive and prejudice. Our school year book had been published and released, and within it was a quote that was very upsetting. A boy, who had just graduated, had placed a quote from Hitler within the yearbook, next to his senior portrait. I along with friends went to the Principal. He said unfortunately they could not do anything specifically, to change what had been done, as it had already been published. The boy had graduated, so again he could not be punished. After that incident, the school had to have the year book editorialized by more than one adult. 

The incident surprised me and yes, I felt somewhat oppressed, saddened and angry. I had trouble excepting that someone within my own community would think and write such anti-Semitic remarks. I too was disappointed that the school was not able to take a stronger stance. They had allowed someone to violate others in such a way, yet there really was little that could have been done. It was such a true violation of equity as it attempted to ignore people’s feelings in regard to man who had demonstrated such atrocities.