Professional Hopes and Goals

       One hope that I have when thinking about working with children and their families that come from diverse backgrounds is that I want them to know their value in and out of the classroom

      One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field with regards to diversity, equity, and social justice is that all classrooms, at least where I work, strive to become an anti-bias classroom using resource, helping each other, and supporting our families so that future generations can say “when I was little I was respected, cherished, welcome, and loved in my classroom”

      I would like to thank each and every class mate who has helped support me through this class and I appreciate all the responses given…they were truly helpful in this learning process…good luck to you all.

 

 

 

Welcoming Families From Around the World

Country: Romania

 

Five ways to be prepared:

1.       First I would have a meeting with the parents/family to learn what I can about their culture, religion, lifestyle, clothes and so on.

2.      Discuss expectations of the classroom and differences that may cause problems. What may be considered respectful in one culture may be disrespectful in another.

3.      Prepare the classroom with words written in English and Romanian for the child to see, include pictures from Romania and place around the room of people and places that will be familiar to the child. Also try to include clothing in the dramatic area for the children to play with.

4.      Invite the family to come and speak to the class or just sit in the class and observe.

5.      Include their holidays when possible and allow the child to share their traditions with the class.

 

In doing these things, the family will be able to share their background including culture, heritage, religion and other beliefs with not only myself but with the other children in the classroom. The child and family will feel welcome and hopefully open to share their background with us. These things will also help me learn about the child and better prepare an individual plan as well as lesson plans that will include the child as a whole.

 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

I have been dealing with biases and prejudices all year in the work place, this year I have been the only one yelled at for wearing jeans on a Friday even though everyone had them on because we were told we could wear them, I was yelled at in front of volunteers for things that were not my fault and she never even apologized when I pointed them out, I was told I cannot take off, while right in front of me my assistant asked off and nothing was said but remind me later, I was told I cannot leave my classroom even if my assistant was under ratio, but my assistant could enjoy coffee in the office all morning leaving me alone with my class but most recently was right before we left for the summer I was told that I may not have my class when I come back. By all rights I should have seniority; I have 10 years working with young children, 7 of those years with Head Start and I am the only one with a Bachelor’s degree. So tell me why my assistant with no experience as a lead teacher, who just got an associate degree maybe running the show? With the last agency we were under, I made teacher of the year every year I was there, so it is not like I do not know what I am doing or am a bad teacher.

I was hurt about the situation but not surprised because my assistant had been saying towards the end of the year how she could not wait to get her own class, I just knew this was going to happen. I was told that a comment was made about me that I will say anything…what does that mean? I can assume what the comment meant, but that will make me no better than my boss for saying it. So I have been looking for other positions, I hope to find one that will value me for what I can do with children not what I look like. I only named a few things that happened this year, it was a nightmare, I got to the point I did not want to go to work because I was forever being yelled at for something, and when I say yell, I am not exaggerating, people heard her in other classes. I finally had to go to her boss and discuss the situation, but now I feel like I am being punished for that.

I do not even know how this could be changed to make it more equal except for it not to happen at all. It is one thing not to get a position that I would apply for but to be told that my class my no longer be mine for no apparent reason other than my assistant wants her own class that is unacceptable. She needs to apply when there is an opening like the rest of us did, not have someone pushed aside so she can take over. If she does not get her own class, my boss is taking the 3 year olds away from me and giving me 4’s because that is what my assistant wants. My mother keeps telling me that God is in control, and he will put me where I need to be whether if I remain in my class or find another position, I need to pray and have faith, so that is what I am doing this summer because I really cannot go through another year of that.