As I matriculated through the EDUC 6164 course, I reflected upon my personal practices as an educator with diverse families. One hope that I have about working with families and children from diverse backgrounds is to build powerful partnership with the families. This partnership will begin from the first day I receive the opportunity to communicate with the family and hopefully beyond the school year. As families transition from their home countries, there will be many students who will be entering an unfamiliar territory. These students will require additional support from educators, family, as well as the community in order to succeed. Therefore, I would like to initiate a continuous conversation about the educational background of the student as well as learn more about the family traditions, beliefs, as well as the family goals for the student throughout the school year. Also, I hope to build a strong partnership with all the families in order to ensure that all families are connected and have an active support system.
One goal I would like to set for the early childhood education field is for all educators to become aware of their own personal bias as adults and speak out against prejudice and bias whenever it is encountered (Derman-Sparks, 2010). We all have unconscious biases that are often learned stereotypes, unintentional, and can affect our behavior. As an educator, it is important to become aware of these personal biases and learn to overcome them as you interact with a diverse group of people. As the families of our students encounter several situations which may be unfair, I believe that active members of the early childhood education field should be willing to become an activist and advocate for each of the families.
I would like to personally take this opportunity to thank my classmates for being active participants in class discussions and challenging me with thought provoking questions about diversity. I hope that you have gained insight from the course about your personal perspectives. I would like to wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors and I look forward to working with you in future courses.
Derman-Sparks, Edwards, (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Lady J's Blog 
Jacquia,
I really like the hope you have with working with children and their families. It is essential to build positive and strong relationships with each child’s family throughout the school year which starts on the first day of meeting the family. One way I get to know the child and family is by sending home a “get to know me” paper which is a fun thing for the child and family to fill out together and is something that is simple and easy for me to get to know my families!
Best of luck to you too! It has been a pleasure learning with you over the last eight weeks!
LikeLike
Hello Jacquia,
I enjoyed your read! I too would like to be mindful of my own personal biases because I will never forget one uncomfortable moment. I met a new parent in class, and they said they were from the Dominica. The first thing I said was, “Oh yes the Dominican Republic I am familiar!” The family corrected me explaining that it’s two different places but I’m more than certain I had a look as if I knew it was the Dominican Republic when honestly, I was wrong. I meant no harm by this it just simply showed me how to handle things differently. If I would have asked was it the Dominican Republic instead of assuming it would have made a world of difference. “Many meaningful exchanges occur in informal private conversations rather than in organized group lessons” (Larkin, Kaplan, 2010). I learned it is our responsibility to show respect and research new information given to us so we can be knowledgeable.
Jacquia, I enjoyed your input you brought to the class. Good luck with all future endeavors!
Reference
Larkin, E., & Kaplan, M.S. (2010). Intergenerational relationships at the center. YC: Young Children, 65(3), 88-94.
LikeLike
Jacquia,
It is very important for us to build powerful partnership with the families. It is also it is important to become aware of these personal biases and learn to overcome them as you interact with a diverse group of people. As educators we have to be open to learn in order to teach. I also would like to Thank you as well for your great discussion posts and blogs. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors!!!!
LikeLike