Imagine studying to become an early years educator for several years, graduating with honors, and preparing for your first day as a certified educator. The first day of school is approaching and you more than excited to welcome your new students into the class. As the student walks into the classroom, the parents of the student hold the student back from entering the room. As you approach the door, the family shares that they prefer to have a different educator. Later, you discover that the parents preferred for the students to have an educator of a different race. As an educator, who has studied to become a qualified educator, this was truly unexpected. This is your first experience with racism in your professional career and this has motivated you to prove your ability to educate children despite the color of your skin. The scenario described above has occurred to a few of my former colleagues as well as myself. Students and families may experience similar situations with their peers. The experience is hurtful, however it’s important to confidently know that you are qualified educator who is more than capable of teaching children despite how others may feel about your skin color.
I chose the illustration of this blog because it is extremely important to understand the difference between equality and equity. When you focus on equity, you provide everyone with what they need to be successful as the illustration exhibits. Equality is when everyone is treated the same. As an educator, I plan to ensure that all children are treated with equity regardless of their cultural background. Situations like the one described above can interfere with the quality of instruction and have a negative impact on students. However, as an educator it is important to move forward and continue to focus on educating students to be college and career ready.
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