Practicing-awareness-of-microaggressions

 My micro-aggression was due to a coworker. I know that she does not mean to be hurtful with her comments and I personally do not see them as hurtful, sometimes she asks just to be sure but it is the way she asks or comment that makes it a micro-aggression. Anyway, we have not that much to do left this year and we were all sitting around discussing having a cookout next week on our last day. When the mention of what types of foods we should have was brought up, she looked at me and was like “well what kinds of foods do you eat?”  Now, I have known several of these ladies for many years, and by now you would think that they know I will eat just about anything, and this being a cookout, really what would be there that I would not want? Then I said “what do you mean what foods do I eat, it’s a cookout right? I will eat whatever is made” she responded, “ok well I was just making sure, I know some of y’all are picky” Now I could have asked her what she meant by some of y’all, but I just let it go. I am so tired, this has been a very trying year and it is almost over, I just say a prayer that God gets me through.

I try not to allow comments made toward me affect me too much. Yes they can be hurtful, and when my children are targeted, I do flip a little bit, but the way I see it there are so many more things in this world that need my attention and energy, like helping children who have no food, clothing or shelter. I do like to volunteer and I am always helping my family members with problems they may have. I myself just say a prayer and move on, but I do understand, that is not always possible.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

When I asked a few people to define culture, this is what was said:

1.      Culture is the values and beliefs people live by

2.      Culture is the way people live

3.      Culture is where you come from, your history, roots and your family’s history

4.      Culture is more about your folklore and your race

When I asked a few people to define diversity, this is what was said:

1.      The difference in how different cultures live

2.      Diversity is the difference between the way people live

3.      Diversity is the combination of different cultures

4.      Diversity is how different cultures interact with one another

Aspects of culture and diversity

While reviewing the answers given to me, I did notice that everyone does link culture with the way people live and where they come from, while diversity is the difference in those cultures. I see culture as a family’s identifier; culture makes you who you are…it is your past, present and future. Diversity shows that not all cultures are the same; it is what makes us unique.

Aspects omitted

The people that answered all said that they had a hard time explaining the definitions and gave brief explanations of each. One thing that I believe some omitted was the fact that culture defines us; it is our past, present and future.

My own thinking

My thinking on culture and diversity has been influenced by the others in that I believe that my thinking is more in-depth and I think about culture and diversity from a personal view point and I view them through 16 little children and their families.

 

My Family Culture

Three items of choice:

      Rope Bed

      Family Tree

      History book of my family

 

What they mean to me:

      The rope bed has been in my family for over a hundred years, it was my great-great grandparent’s bed. My mother used it when she was a little girl and it was passed to her when my great grandmother died. When I was a little girl my parents bought a mattress for it so that I could use it. I am a huge lover of history and the fact that the bed was old and a family heirloom it meant the world to me.

      I have a framed family tree that was done for me for my 40^th birthday that goes back to before my family was even in this country. I love that it includes pictures of my family including mine. I would love to have it so that future generations can see where we came from.

      The history book of my family was also a present for my 40^th birthday and means as much to me as the other items. The book dates to when my family first came here on my father’s side of the family in 1742. I have learned so much from the book including that I have family that fought in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. I also have a picture of my family gathered at Devil’s Den in Gettysburg PA, where my great grandfather lost a close friend. We went there on my 40^th birthday and had another family picture taken to place next to the one taken almost 100 years ago.

 

If I were told I could only keep one item, I am not sure how I would react, I am not sure if I would stay, honestly I cannot answer this question. I know now I would have a lot to say if I were told I cannot keep my items, however, if I had to choose between my children and items my children would come first, but those items rate just below my children because they are my past. They are what made me who I am, and I want my children to have them so that they can pass them down and always have a piece of where they came from.

I enjoyed choosing my items and discussing them, until I had to think about leaving them behind. My family and history are my two great loves in life and I truly do not know what I would do without them. This has been interesting to me because it really made me have to think about what is important to me and truly how important my items are.

Thanks

I would like to thank you all for reading and responding to my posts throughout these last 8 weeks, I wish you all the best and hope to see you in my next class, thanks again...Elizabeth

When I Think of Research...Reflection

Insights that I have gained from taking this course include the many important steps throughout the research study process, how important each step is in relation to obtaining reliable results, and how to create a study that is also fair and just.

My ideas about the nature of doing research has changed in many ways, but after this course, I believe the most important changes include that fact that I now know that a research study needs to be done step by step and each step needs careful consideration and every aspect of the research needs to be taken into consideration before the study even begins. Papers need to be signed, people chosen and everything in its place then the study can begin.

I have learned so many things about planning, designing and conducting a research study in early childhood, but some important lessons include making sure that a research needs to choose the way in which they are going to collect the data. The researcher needs to determine if observations or interviews will be better. Then the research also needs to choose the participants and how will they be chosen. I also learned how important it is that researchers keep their own ideas, assumptions, and bias out of the research study to obtain reliable, just, and fair results.

Challenges for me where trying to turn the research question into a hypothesis and learning all the terms used for research studies. I read as much as I could and also did more research myself on the internet to help learn about creating a hypothesis. I also read more on the terms so that could truly understand their meanings and how they could be used in sentences with regards to research studies.

I had not thought about the amount of work that is included in creating a research study from childhood professionals, I never thought of researchers and what all they do especially from start to finish of a project; however, after this course I can say I know that they work hard. Many hours of work goes into just preparing for the study and then the observations and or interviews that are done. Researchers spend a great deal of time and effort to look for answers that will benefit the early childhood field.

One way that my perception of an early childhood professional has been modified as a result of this course is the amount of dedication into the research aspect of this field. As a teacher of early childhood education, I have spent 8 years in a classroom using curriculums that I have either liked or disliked for different reasons and have always wanted to know more about how we came about using them. This course has helped answer questions as well as show me what is involved in how and why curriculums are chosen. I also know that there are so many more aspects of working in this field and that I may wish to look further into the research side of the early childhood field.

 

Research Around the World

The website that I chose to explore is http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/ and I have found some of the research topics to include Learning and teaching through play, Learning from High/scope, Diversity and difference: Lighting the spirit of identity, Engaging families” Building strong communication and many more.

 

One thing that surprised me through exploring this site and looking for what they are researching is that many of the topics researched in Australia are topics that we research here in the United States. Some insights gained while exploring the site include how many topics for research and supporting best practices include many areas of behaviors and emotions for young children.  

 

I enjoyed exploring this website because it was easy to navigate and had plenty of information on early childhood issues both for research and knowledge of the early childhood field. I have started to read the research papers on curriculums, but did not get to finish them yet, but I do look forward to it.

 

 

Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

I came across this article http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2008/09/early-programs-isaacs while looking for information for another class. I did not use the article for the other class because it was not what I was looking for; however, I did read the article because I found it interesting. The main focus of this research study was to examine the impact on early childhood programs and children over a span of 24 years. One study actually went to children who reached 40. The results of the study showed a positive impact on children and their families in many areas. “Most early childhood interventions also have had positive impacts on children’s emotional and behavioral outcomes, including long-term reductions in criminal behavior. There also is some evidence of improvements in children’s health and safety, and some programs have had positive effects on the children’s parents” (Isaacs & Roessel, 2008). One of the things that I loved about the results of this research study is the fact that the findings will be used “to provide policy-makers with a user-friendly summary of up-to-date, high-quality evidence on several early childhood interventions and their impact on children and families” (Isaacs & Roessel, 2008). This is in hopes that more funding will be available for expanding future early childhood programs state and nationwide.

 

Isaacs, J., & Roessel, E. (2008, September). Impacts of early childhood programs. Bookings. Retrieved from http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2008/09/early-programs-isaacs