Time Well Spent

Wow, I am excited that we have reached the end of our master's journey. Most of us have worked together since the beginning of this journey and some of us have met along the way. I am truly honored and blessed to have had this opportunity and to have learned so much from each one of you. When I began this journey, I was only doing this to please my parents and to help obtain a better job. As I progressed, I became aware of my greater purpose. The courses have opened my eyes and made me more aware of issues in the early childhood field. I began to notice ways I could improve my communication and actions in the classroom. I began to look for a greater purpose in what I do. I began to fall in love with teaching again, which was a feeling I had not felt since I began my job. I started to see the things that needed to be changed within myself and in my classroom. The courses have deepened my understanding of this field and showed me what it takes to be an effective teacher. I have also learned what it takes to be an anti-bias educator and the importance of creating classrooms that are welcoming to all. This journey has taught me a lot about myself as well. I have learned my strengths and weakness and the importance of having support and a community to help you. My passion has grown tremendously since the being and I am so excited to apply what I have learned in a new environment. As I continue with my career in early childhood I hope to accomplish many things. I hope to continue my education by obtaining my Doctorates and teach at a college. I would like to share my knowledge and experience with those who chose the same path as I have. I would also like to open up a facility that provides after care services for school age children. It will provide children with tutoring services and extracurricular activities. I want to help rebuild the education system in low income areas. I want to give back to those in need.

To My Instructor and Colleagues,

I would like to thank each and everyone of you for all the knowledge and support you have shared with me throughout the journey. I have learned so much about this field for you and I will take every think I have learned with me as I continue my journey. I wish you all the best and hope that are paths cross again.

 

Ashley Daniels

 

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

International Forum for Child Welfare

The first organization I chose is the IFCW. The group works toward improving the quality of lives for children and enhancing opportunities for the development of their full potential. They work for the fulfillment of the Convention of the Rights of the Child in very nation. They achieve this through
 the strengthening of nongovernmental child welfare organizations (NGOs) worldwide in their direct and indirect service to children and families by:

• Organizing and improving information exchange and cooperation among members.
• Educating world opinion on the interest and well-being of children.
• Promoting and organizing conferences, seminars and study groups.
• Cooperating with other recognized bodies having similar objectives.

I think this organization would be great to work with. I think the work they do with children who are in need is important. Many times these are the kids most overlooked and its time that someone supports their needs.

More information can be found at http://www.ifcw.org/index.php

Save the Children
Save the Children gives children in the United States and around the world what every child deserves – a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm.  They advocate for and achieve large-scale change for children. This organization does work all around the world and their priority is making sure the children are health and safe.

Careers with Save the Children

Early Head Start Program Manager
Location:	US - MS
Division.:	U.S. Programs
Description
Summary This position is responsible for the development and oversight of the entire Early Head Start Services program. This includes working to develop an early childhood education curriculum for infants and toddlers and providing educational resources for staff and parents, ensuring compliance with performance standards and recognized best practices in the field of early childhood education.  Under the supervision of the Program Director and working as the supervisor of the EHS Education/Disabilities Specialist, the EHS Program Manager oversees implementation of EHS services at all sites, and works with all local educational institutions and other STC Head Start partners. Responsibilities Coordinates the Education and Early Childhood Development content area of 1304 of the Early Head Start program; works closely with the program director and other admin/management staff to assure adequate classroom supplies and equipment are available to staff and that schedules are appropriate for infants and toddlers; attends home visits, parent conferences or IFSP meetings when requested or as necessary, other tasks as needed. Serves as second in command when delegated by Program Director. Visit each site and classrooms on a regular basis (4-6 hours per month per site) to conduct observations, provide training and technical assistance, coaching and mentoring.  Provide training and technical assistance and build capacity by working directly with EHS staff, parents and community partners to ensure high quality EHS program. Develops and incorporates the Program for Infant Toddler Caregivers (PITC) into the curriculum and parent/child activities; ensures that staff consistently incorporates PITC information into their classrooms and on home visits; provides strategies to support young English language learners and their families. Oversee site tracking of early childhood screenings and assessments, early childhood data collection, and participate in local evaluation activities. Requirements Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development or other related field. Minimum 5  years of experience working with infants and toddlers. Training and experience to develop consistent, stable and supportive relationships with very young children; knowledge of infant and toddler development and safety issues and methods for communicating effectively with infants, toddlers, parents and other staff are a requirement of this position. Must have extensive knowledge of Heat Start Performance Standards, developmentally appropriate early childhood education practices in infant/toddler programs. Knowledge of program planning and supervisory techniques and practices. Knowledge of basic fiscal accountability. Ability to exercise professional judgment and evaluating before making decisions. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, children and parents, and outside agencies. Effective communication skills, good problem solving and time management skills. Acceptable tuberculosis screening results, a clear criminal records check (including child abuse registry check and sex offender registry check if required by state regulations), MSDH Certificate of Immunization Compliance (MSDH Form #121)  and an initial health exam are required post job offer and prior to employment. Employee Type Full-Time Job Location:  Indianola, MS Family and Community Engagement Manager Location: US - MS Division.: U.S. Programs Description Summary This position is responsible for supporting family services and community partnerships to include: social services, ERSEA, volunteers and parent involvement including fatherhood. Coordinates and implements all areas of Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, and all ERSEA areas related to Enrollment.  Ensure that electronic record keeping system is accurate and current and that data collected can be reported accurately to grant officers. The Specialist works closely with Center Directors and Family Service Workers to coordinate ERSEA efforts in order to ensure full enrollment in funded slots. Responsibilities Coordinate the Family and Community Partnership content area of the program, works closely with the program director and other management staff to assure adequate classroom supplies and equipment is available to staff to support program needs. Work with other members of Management Team to ensure comprehensive and integrated child and family services in the areas of mental health and disabilities. Participate on the Management Team to provide ongoing planning, strategic planning, monitoring, program evaluation and assessment. Responsible for tracking that all parents have a Family Map (family partnership agreement) and the tracking of strengths, needs, goals, referrals, individual contacts, home visits and follow-ups. Responsible for the complete and accurate collection, entry, reporting and maintenance of data, records and reports related to the application, eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment and attendance of children and families of the Head Start Program. Individual assists in the recruitment, enrollment and registrations of families into the program.  Responsible for the collection, entry, reporting and maintenance of ERSEA records related to program operations including CACFP.  Individual tracks daily attendance for classrooms and follow-up on absenteeism.  Prepare and distribute monthly reports, such as attendance, , enrollment, etc. Provides or arranges for training and technical assistance to staff and parents based upon pertinent issues/interests expressed in Family Map to include advocacy, family center approach, family literacy, self-sufficiency, child development, health, parenting skills and other topics as identified. Provides support to staff in developing parent training opportunities. Tracks and maintains documentation of parent meetings and training. Ensure the PFCE Framework is a systematic component of programming, services and management systems. Assist in the monitoring and reporting services to ensure high quality services and positive child outcomes, and status on meeting school readiness goals. Attend case coordination meetings with other staff in order to fully integrate services Designs, implements and monitors the volunteer program to include the recruitment and training of parent and community volunteers for the program. Works collaboratively to train on and distribute the Volunteer Handbook. Ensures that all regular volunteers have completed the appropriate paperwork and that records are maintained in a locked file cabinet. Tracks volunteerism and provides periodic volunteer training programs. Understands, generates and documents in-kind and other allowable costs (as related to volunteers) applied toward the non-federal share requirement. Requirements Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development, Social Work, Adult Learning or a related Family/Human Services field; advanced degree preferred. Three years’ work experience in a position that directly relates to the provision and management of family services for young children and their families; and supervisory experience. Strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skills. Ability to work collaboratively with other staff and community partners in the provision of high quality services and resources to families. Previous Head Start experience preferred. Acceptable tuberculosis screening results, a clear criminal records check (including child abuse registry check and sex offender registry check if required by state regulations), MSDH Certificate of Immunization Compliance (MSDH Form #121) and an initial health exam are required post job offer and prior to employment. http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm Alliance for Children and Families Mission and Vision To strengthen the capacities and influence of our national network of high-impact nonprofit human-serving organizations so that together we may pursue our vision of a healthy society and strong communities for all children, adults, and families. We will… Partner for Impact So that together we will increase the number of children, adults and families who are able to live healthy and productive lives, and realize their full potential as contributing members of their communities. This focus will allow our network to contribute to: Decreasing the number of people living in poverty Increasing the number of people living safe and healthy lives, and Putting more people onto pathways for educational and employment success Achieve Influence By effectively amplifying the knowledge, expertise and unique value of our network and mobilizing them and the communities they serve so that they positively influence society.  http://www.feinet.com/aboutus/families-international

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

In search for national/federal organizations and communities of practice that work in the ECE field, I came across several that have visions and missions similar to my own. In searching for future jobs or organizations to become apart of, it was important that they not only promoted quality education for children but promoted quality educators as well.

The first organization I found is the National Education Association (NEA). This organization provides a voice for educators and focuses on providing every child a great public school education. Public schools are not always seen as the best schools and many feel that children in public schools are not being provided with an adequate education. The mission and vision of this organization is to advocate for education professionals and to unite members and the nation to fulfill the promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world (NEA, 2002). The work this organization does here in the United States is pushed by their passion and belief that every student, regardless of family income or place of residence, deserves a quality education. NAE focuses their energy and resources on improving the quality of teaching, increasing student achievement and making schools safer, better places to learn. The work NEA does is important to me because children in low income areas are often over looked and educators in that are not motivated to making a difference in these children's lives. They are judged and stereotyped because of their up bringing and are seen as failures. This organization has several positions opened that appealed to me. The one I think I would work towards is Sr. Prog/Pol/Spec/Analyst (Labor Relations/Bargaining). 

The primary responsibilities of this position include serving as an expert in collective bargaining and compensation research, and education policy that impacts employees; assisting affiliates with analyzing collective bargaining agreements and legislation impacting collective bargaining; researching and developing new compensation models; and providing technical assistance to affiliate collective bargaining and advocacy campaigns. For this job, a Master's degree, with advanced studies/training in labor relations, or a related field and you must have several years of experiences as the primary spokesperson  and or/chief collective bargaining negotiator. You must also demonstrate the ability to develop and carry out successful collective bargaining campaigns.

The next organization that I would like to be apart of is National Association for Family Child Care. NAFCC is  a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting quality child care by strengthening the profession of family child care. Since I currently work in a child care facility and  have seen the issues that the children, families, and educators face, I feel that working with this organization can help change the views and quality of child care centers. The goals of this association are:

• To strengthen state and local associations as the primary support system for individual family child care providers.
• To promote a professional accreditation program which recognizes and encourages quality care for children.
• To represent family child care providers by advocating for their needs and collaborating with other organizations.
• To promote the diversity of the family child care profession through training, state and local associations, public education, and Board Membership. (National Association for Family Child Care, 2014)

The NAFCC did not have any job openings but have opportunities to become a member and attend trainings.

The last organization that I found is The Association for Early Learning Leaders. This organization is committed to excel­lence in the field of Early Care and Education by promoting lead­ership development and enhancing program quality. Their is to strengthen the knowledge, skills and abilities of directors, owners, emerging leaders and other early learning pro­fessionals to ensure quality programs for young children. As I previously stated I work in a child care facility and I believe many view us a baby sitters and not educators. By providing children with quality programs and services we are able to show others that the work we do is important to the development of children and that we are not babysitters but facilitators in the education of our youth. The Association for Early Learning Leaders promote and creating meaningful collaborative connections, provide professional development opportunities, and promote quality improvements, and provide access to a variety of quality professional resources. I feel that this association would be a great community of practice to collaborate with. I feel that I can learn so much from the work they do and I would be able to share it with those I work with in order to provide our students and families with a quality service.

Sources
National Education Association (2002-2014) http://www.nea.org/home/index.html
National Association for Family Child Care (2014)  http://nafcc.org/
Association for Early Learning Leaders (2014) http://www.earlylearningleaders.org/

 

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

     When I began my search for local and state organizations that worked with children during the early childhood years, my findings were limited. It seems that in the state of Georgia there are not many communities of practices. Though there are a limited amount of organizations in my state, I did come across a few that appealed to me.
      The first organization that I came across is called Voices for Georgia's Children. This organization was established in 2003 and is a nonprofit child policy and advocacy organization. Its vision is to ensure children in Georgia are safe, healthy, educated, employable, and connected to their family and community. There mission is to be a powerful, unifying voice for a public agenda that ensures the well-being of all Georgia's children (Voices for Georgia's Children, 2003). In order for them to help change the way that children grow up and ensure they have a quality life, this organization provides research-based information, measures, collective voice and proposed legislation to help guide decision makers in the right direction. They support policies that focus on the well-being of children and provide children with an adequate education. Their objective is to ensure Georgia's children grow up to be healthy educated and productive citizens.
        I chose this organization because of the work they do in the community and with the local government. They pay attention to how polices and other legislation effect the children in the area and use their voices to stand up for the needs of the children. The organization focuses on early childhood, child health and transitioning youth to foster change in five measures of child well being, which are; safety, health, education, connection to family and community, and employability. I have not been able to find employment with this organization by I will continue my search.
       The second organization that I found is the Georgia Association on Young Children (GAYC). It is an organization that is affiliated  with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and works towards the education and development of Georgia's young children birth-8. Their vision is to provide children with learning opportunities that will ensure they have a healthy development and are supported by early childhood educators who have the education, financial support and the recognition of their community. GAYC's mission is to increase public awareness of the importance of early childhood education and to improve the quality of programs for young children through learning opportunities for early childhood educators. What I liked about this programs is the fact that they understand the important role educators play and want to provided them with an education that will not only benefit them but they children they encounter. I did not find employment with this organization but I noticed that they had plenty of opportunities for volunteering. I have contacted the Executive Director and I am still waiting for a response. 
     The last organization that I found in my state is the Georgia Head Start Association. This organization is one that I have heard about all throughout my career. I have heard great things about this group and the work they do. GHSA is a non-profit organization that provides education, leadership and advocacy with efforts in delivering high quality comprehensive services to children and their families.  They server over 25,000 low-income preschool children birth through five-years old and their families throughout the state of Georgia. This organization appealed to me because of the work they do in low-income families. They work with areas and children who are sometimes overlooked and they provide them with quality services that meet their needs. This organization has different job positions but none are available at this time. 

References

Voice's for Georgia Children http://georgiavoices.org/
Georgia Association on Young Children http://gayconline.org/
Georgia Head Start Association http://www.georgiaheadstart.org/
 

 

 

Reflecting on Learning

My most passionate hope for my future as an early childhood professional is that I am able to touch the lives of the children I work with and provide them with an anti-bias education. I hope that I am able to make a difference in their lives and provide them with all the skills and knowledge they need to become successful citizens of the world. I hope that I am able to help the children I encounter reach their highest potential and develop a positive identify of themselves. My passion is to give children back their childhood and allow them to develop confidence  within themselves. For the families, I want to be an alley. Someone they can come to with their questions and needs.

To my colleagues, I would like to thank you for all your support and knowledge. I would not have been able to get through this without your help and I am so thankful to have had you through this journey.

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

The region I decided to focus on was Eastern and Southern Africa. I would be lying if I said I had some profound reason as to why I chose to select this region, but I don't. The decision really came simple to me. It was the one region I have always wished to visit.  What better time to gather information on the children of an area that I one day hope to help. I wish I could say that I am surprised at the many issue the children in this are face. This children suffer from malnutrition, AIDS, unsanitary water, inadequate protection, and lack of immunization.

Children are suffering from chronic malnutrition. About 25 million or 40 percent of children under five years of age are suffering from it. These children have limited access to foods and sometimes go days without eating. The children also have limited access to medicine and education. In some areas of this region, there are a higher percentage of boys in school than girls. For secondary education, rates are significantly lower. The regional averages for enrolment are 32 and 29 percent for boys and girls, respectively, and an even smaller proportion actually attends school (UNICEF, n.d). In this area there has also
been efforts to prevent and respond to violations of children's rights. Public campaigns have been used to help shed the spotlight on violence against children. These issues can have lasting affects on children's emotional well being and development. They may have issues forming lasting relationships with other because of the rapid death rate due to diseases that plague the region.
When I read about children in these harsh situation, it increases my passion to work with children less fortune than I. I would love to one day visit the poverty areas of Africa and be able to contribute to their lives in some way. Until that dream is made a reality, I hope the work I do within my community can have a lasting effect on today's youth. I hope I am able to touch the lives of those in need by giving back.

UNICEF-Children of Eastern and Southern Africa. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

In today's society children have too much exposer to sex and violence.

Children growing up today are bombarded from a very early age with graphic messages about sex and sexiness in the media and popular culture (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). Children are not longer being kept away from adult images and adult languages. It has become such an issue that children are having sex and having children at younger ages then we may have during our youth. Children are encountering these issues before that are fully able to understand and deal with them. Children exposed to images of sexual behavior devoid of emotions, attachment, or consequences. They learn that sex defines relationships and friend ships. They also learn that sex is often a direct correlation to violence. Young girls get the idea that their physical appearance and the right products with being sexy and successful. Such lessons will shape their gender identity, sexual attitudes, and values, and their capacity for relationships, for love and connections, that they take into adulthood (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). Children are being robbed with the ability to just be kids and enjoy age-appropriate task.

 

Learning about this topic has made me more aware of how it effects children and their development. It has opened my eyes to how big of an issue this is for children and focus on my role in correcting the wrong that's being done.

 

Its amazing how many videos you can find that promote sex and encourage inappropriate behavior in little children.

 

 

 Reference
Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction]. So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

Describe in detail the consequences you might expect for the children and families with whom you work while you experience specific "–ism(s)" in your own life. Include specific examples either those you have and/or are experiencing or ones you would anticipate.

Okay this week's blog has given me the opportunity to address some bias issues that I am having with one my parents. Recently a parent had asked another teacher to tutor their child. His reasoning was because he wanted his child to be able to read and apparently he believed that this other teacher would  be able to help his child more than I would. The other teacher is older and it seems at times that he does not feel that I am fully capable to teach his child. He now goes out of his was to have discussions with this teacher about his child's progress and problems. At first I tried to not let it bother me but I can't help but feel unappreciated and over looked because of my age. I feel that I have always tried to keep open communication with my parents but he will not address his concerns with me. The child's mother has not problem communicating with me, its just him. I have always tried to communicate with my parents and see what expectations they have for me when it pertains to their child. This situation, I am not sure how to address this situation.

Observing Communication

This week I observed a preschool classroom at a local day care center. The children in this class are a mixture of children who just turned three, have been three for a few months, and recently turned four. So as you can imagine their was a variety of abilities and personalities that filled this room. There was one lead teacher and about 17 students. Occasionally, during my time there, another teacher came into assist the teacher. As I sat and observed it was hard to notice the routine of the class. It seemed in the morning the children were allowed to pretty much run wild in the classroom. During center time, the teacher was busing putting pictures on the wall, while children ran from center to center, fought with one another, and screamed blood murder. At times while the children were playing, the teacher would stop and yell at them to stop whatever it is they were doing. After center time they did a small group activity. By this time the second teacher had returned to the room. He took a group while the lead took another. The male teacher had his kids on the carpet as he begin to go through the letters of the alphabet by pointing to the letters on the wall. The lead teacher had two groups at the tables doing an activity using shapes. For this activity she had the children glue different shapes onto a piece of construction paper. During the activity I remember thinking to myself, what is the teachers purpose. She provided the students with no additional information as to why they were gluing the shapes onto the paper. She hardly engaged with them while the completed the activity.  The day pretty much when on in the same manner. I hardly remember the teacher having a conversation with any of the students throughout the day.

The teacher did not effectively communicate with the students and it missed out on several teachable moments throughout the day due to her not paying attention or communicating with the children. Its hard to say she knows anything about her students because she hardly interacted with them. During my time their I did spend some time with a 3 year old named Olivia. As the children played during center time, I sat down and talked with Olivia who was drawing at the table. Olivia is very well spoken and loves flowers. She drew several flower and each was a different color. Olivia also like to play on the swings and write her name. It was amazing what I was able to learn about Olivia through watching her play and communicating with her.

It seemed as if the teacher never really communicates with the children in a way that they are able to direct or initiate the conversation. Sometimes the body language and words of the teacher can seem harsh and unfair. One student had an accident and the teacher responded by scolding instead of speaking calmly to the child. I could tell the child was embarrassed and upset because he went and set in the corner with his head down. I don't think this teacher is aware of how her lack of interaction and harsh tone effects how the children feel about themselves and even school. I feel that this teacher needs to spend more time working one on one with the students. She needs to hold conversations with them and adjust how she responds to them and the things they do.

Creating Affirming Environments

Imagine that you want to open your own Family Child Care Home. Reflect on what your setting would look like, what elements you think you might want to include and for what reasons, and the various ways that you will strive to ensure that every child and family feels welcome and respected.

In creating my own Family Child Care home, I would want to be sure that my center makes my families feel comfortable and welcomed. The setting would be inviting and reflect the different cultures and backgrounds of the families and children in our community. I want to ensure that I create a learning environment that is secure and supportive for all families. In order to do so I will make sure that I provide my parents with a school/family handbook that will explain the inclusive approach of my program. In our text, they mentioned the idea of creating an equitable enrollment form. Using these forms would remove and "replace the usual labels Mother and Father with more open-ended and inclusive ones (Derman-Sparks &Edwards, 2010)"
The text also suggest finding out how the various families in your program refer to their immediate and extended members. Taking the time to get to know your families individual helps make them feel appreciated and welcomed. I would provide my families with resources and referral materials and also make sure that the classrooms are accessible.

In thinking of how it would look, my entrance would have a photos of the different children and their families. I would also have children's art work displayed all throughout the center. The classes could be filled with multicultural materials that will help provide an anti-bias learning experience. I would use family photos to create materials for students to use in housekeeping and block area. I would provided photos of children and families of different cultures that can be found throughout the world.

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. (2010) Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. Washington, DC. NAEYC

What I Have Learned

One hope that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds.

I hope that through my working with children and families from diverse backgrounds, I can help change how society views people from different cultures and backgrounds. I hope to build lasting relationships with my family by continuing to learn more about them and their culture. Through my interactions with these families and children I can increase my knowledge while bridging the gaps between different cultures. 

One goal you would like to set for early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice. 

I would like for the early childhood field to continue its efforts in making every classroom embrace the cultural diversity of today's society. I would like for educators in this field to continue educating ourselves on these issues that effect the development of children. My goal personally would be working in areas were children struggle with equity and social justice. The areas were children need the most guidance and support.

A brief note of thanks to your colleagues

I would like to thank all of my colleagues for your support and comments throughout this process. I have learned so much from each one of you and I wish you the best. 

Start Seeing Diversity:Creating Art

Here is my collage of what diversity and anti-bias education means to me. It did not turn out like I had wanted but this is what I was able to accomplish.

"We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

A time when you witnessed an adult (or yourself) reprimand or silence a child after he or she pointed out someone they saw as different (e.g., "That lady talks funny," " That man only has one leg!" "Why is that man so pretty!"). Include what the child said and what the adult did or said in response. (Note: If you cannot think of a specific time ask a friend or family member.)

Children are very observant and will always say what they are thinking, especially when they encounter people or things that are unusual and strange. In thinking about a moment when a child pointed out someone they saw as different and was reprimanded would be when I was out with my an acquaintance and her kids. On this occasion, we were at a mall in a very diverse area of Atlanta. We were walking through the mall when the children saw a women who was a dwarf holding hands with a man. The little one tugged on his mothers jacket and said, "that little girl has some big legs and arms." At first we did not know what he was talking about and disregarded what he had said. A few seconds later he tugged again, repeating what he said before, this time a little louder as he pointed in the direction of the couple. His mother immediately turned around, popped him on his head and then began yelling at him saying, "What I told you about talking about people and pointing?" The little boy began to cry. My jaw dropped. For the rest of our time out he did not say anything.

What messages might have been communicated to this child by the adult's response.

Her response made the child shut down. I don't think he fully understood what he did wrong when you was only explaining what he was observing. I think to the child it communicated that what he was saying was wrong. He may began to feel like that about everything he thinks and may begin to hold in his thoughts and ideas. I think she should have addressed the situation better and explained to the child that the lady was a dwarf and that she was not a child but an adult. She could have explained to him what a dwarf was and how everyone is different instead of reprimanding him in the way that she did.  


An example of how an anti-bias educator might have responded to support the child's (or classroom's ) understanding. 

I think the same explanation that I suggest the parent give would be an appropriate response by an anti-bias educator. I think by explaining to a child what a dwarf is will help children build an understanding of what it is they are seeing and why that person looks the way the do. We need to challenge bias about physical characteristics by providing images of lots of different body types. The video, "Start Seeing Diversity: Physical Ability and Characteristics", suggest the use of children's books. "Children's books are another important tool in anti-bias approach. Some stories model anti-bias behavior or provide opportunities for children to think about how they can act against bias."

Reference:
Laureate-Media. (2014) "Start Seeing Diversity: Physical Ability and Characteristics.

"Start Seeing Diversity Video" Blog: Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

How you would respond to a parent/family member who informed you they did not want anyone who is perceived (or self-reported) homosexual or transgender to be caring for, educating, and/or interacting with their child?

If I was in a situation where a parent informed me they did not want anyone who is perceived homosexual or transgender interacting with their child, I would first ask the parent why the feel that way. Sometimes people feel negative towards homosexuals or transgender because they are scared it will impact their child in a negative way or they are afraid of someone who is different from them. In this case I would ask the parent how the feel about other diverse people interacting with their child and what would be the difference between someone who is homosexual educating their child and someone who is from another country or disabled. I would try to help them see that interactions between children and people from diverse backgrounds helps children acknowledged that everyone is different and should not be treated different because they are not like everyone else. In the video segment, the group of teachers said that, acknowledging the existence of families with gay and lesbian parents will prepare children to be respectful when they meet people who are lesbian or gay. I feel the same applies to those who educate and care for children. It teaches children to be open minded and more excepting. By a parent not wanting their child to be taught by someone who is homosexual or transgender continues the spread of homophobia throughout generations. In all, I would try to help the parent see who this type of discrimination can have a negative impact on the child.
Any other related situations, thoughts, concerns, questions, and/or areas of discomfort you would like to share related to children, gender, and sexual orientation.

In watching my students interact with one another, I have heard statements for the children referring to what boys and girls can and can't do. I have heard the comment, "boys are faster than girls" and even comments about boys playing in the housekeeping area. I think it important to teach children that boys and girls can do whatever they put their mind to. Just because someone is a boy doesn't mean they can play with doll and just because someone is a girl doesn't mean she can't be a construction worker. Its important not to limit a child's ability just because of gender. I do have a question I would like to pose though, how do we introduce the topic of diverse families if the children don't raise questions or concerns? In particular families with two mothers or two fathers. I would you introduce this topic without upsetting your parents, especially when their are no students from those backgrounds.