Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

     After learning about microaggressions this week, I have been listening to see if I could hear any examples in my day-to-day life.  Here is what I heard:

     In a 4 year old preschool class, the children were running on the playground playing soccer.  A boy said to a girl, "It's OK that you can't run as fast as me.  Boys are supposed to run faster."

    Also with the 4 year old group, the children were standing in line to wash their hands.  One girl said she was going to marry another girl.  A boy piped in and said, "Girls don't marry girls"  The girl responded with, "In some states they do.  My dad told me." 

    Watching "The Big Bang Theory" the other night, Penny asked Sheldon to teach her some physics so she could talk to Leonard about his job.  Sheldon replied, "Well I suppose if someone could teach sign language to Cocoa the Gorilla, I could teach you some rudimentary physics."

     Also on "The Big Bang Theory", Sheldon handed Penny a notebook and said, "Here.  It's college ruled.  I  hope it's not too intimidating."

    I think that the examples with the children show that children are curious about their roles and they like to know exactly what boys do and what girls do.  They are understanding that boys and girls are different.  The gender micro invalidations made by the boys are giving the message that the girls reality is not valid.  I do not think the boys intended to be harmful in any way.  In fact, I feel that they were voicing what their reality was and this is how they have always know life to be.

    In the sitcom, Sheldon was using microassaults because he was intentionally hurtful to Penny.  I was not offended by this; however, because I know it was meant to be funny.  For those of you who watch the show, you know that Penny can stand her ground.  In a previous episode, she told Sheldon "could you stop acting like yourself for a while and comfort me." 

     These observations make me feel that microaggressions begin early in life based on what we believe is true and correct.  We also see them in our entertainment which some people may take as justification for using them.  I feel that both can be learning experiences.  When we correct our children by saying things like, "girls can run fast too" or "what he said on TV was really kinda mean.  We wouldn't want to say that to our friends" then we are teaching our children.   With guidance, children will learn right from wrong, good from bad, etc.  It is up to the adults to ensure that the learning opportunities are used wisely. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

     Friends and colleagues were asked about diversity and culture and what these terms mean to them.  Kim is a colleague from Korea.  Sharon is a neighbor.  Kelly is also a colleague.
Here is what they said:
                     Kim:  Diversity is differences in people.  Culture is people from different countries.
                     Sharon:  Diversity is when you're different.  Culture is where you're from.  It's who you
                                    are.
                     Kelly:  Diversity is differences between individuals.  Culture is who you are and your
                                  ethnic beliefs.

     From what I have learned in this course, I would have to say that all three were correct on their definitions of diversity.  It is our differences.  It is what sets us apart from everyone else.  It gives us our individuality. 
     All three gave different definitions of culture, but all were a part of culture.  Some things omitted from the definitions were language, work, foods, holidays, gender roles, religion, and intergenerational relationships.  Our cultural identity influences how we live in our social identities (Derman-Sparks, L.,  Edwards, J., 2010).  It is who we are.
     My friends and colleagues have similar definitions.  I found it interesting that Kim referred to culture as people from different countries.  She has shared many of her cultural experiences with me.  Recently she came back from a one month visit to Korea to see her elderly parents.  She said they eat rice and vegetables for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  They eat fruit for snacks.  She was glad to be back so that she could eat some different foods!  She also said she lost weight because she was not used to eating that way.  I asked her why her parents don't come here and live with her.  She said that in Korea, the government takes care of the elderly, so it is better for them to stay there.  She sees these differences related to countries, not people. 

Reference

 Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and

            ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young

            Children (NAEYC).

My Family Culture

     If I had to relocate to a new country with my immediate family and could only take three things, they would be: 1.  a phone, 2.  family photo albums, and 3. grandma's recipes.
     The phone would be to stay in touch with extended family.  The photo albums would be to keep memories alive and also to pass down to future generations.  The recipes would be to pass down to future generations and to maintain family traditions.  Yes, food is a big part of our family. 
    Of these items, the phone would be most important to me.  Keeping in touch with extended family is and will always be a part of my family culture.  The photos and recipes could be retained in memory if needed. 
     My family culture is not about material possessions.  It is more about family and love and the bond that connects us.  Material things can be replaced, family cannot.   Traditions can be learned by experiencing them.  Memories can be kept alive by talking about them.  Family, on the other hand, needs to remain close. 

my husband, Bob

My sister, Lisa and me                        my son Ryan                         


my sons, Bobby and Brandon

When I think of research...

When I think of research... I think WOW! Who knew it involved so much detail?  I feel like I've been "awakened" in the realm of research after this class.  I used to think of research as finding out as much as I could on a topic.  After all, that's all it was back in high school.  Through this course, I now have new insights into the research process and I have a much better understanding of all that needs to be considered.

In designing a research study, one must consider the participants, the methods and data to be used, the variables, bias and cultural issues, ethical considerations, challenges and validity.  Consent should be given by all participants including children.  Relationships should be established ahead of time, if possible, to build trust.  This will help ensure accurate data.  Challenges will always be a part of the research process. There may be challenges in finding a sample that is representative of a population.  Another challenge that may be unforeseen are the extraneous variables.  While we can try to prepare for such occurrences, they just can't be predicted.

Early childhood professionals are excellent candidates for researchers as we are trained in many of the same respects.  We follow a code of ethical conduct and always look out for the best interest of the children.  Researchers, like ECE, need to be caring, trustworthy, and genuine if they are to get optimal results from their work.

I would like to thank all of my colleagues and my instructor for the continued words of encouragement, the thoughtful feedback, and the new insights they have given me throughout this course.  It has been a wonderful experience and I hope I have helped you all as much as you have helped me!  Good luck to all of you and may we meet again soon!

Lynn

 

Research Around The World

 

 

Early Childhood Australia is an international website dedicated to early childhood and can be found at http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

 

There are several current research topics on this website.  In fact, there is a tab for the Research in Practice series (RIP).  Some of the titles in this series are:

 

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH TOPICS:

 

Reflection as a tool for quality: Working in the National Quality Standard

'Stories from the Heart' Connecting children and families with out Earth

Stars are made of glass:  Children as capable and creative communicators

Partnerships: Working together in early childhood settings

Dealing with bullying together:  Prevention and resolution

Respecting diversity: Articulating early childhood practice

Nurturing the spiritual child: Compassion, connection and a sense of self

Respecting diversity: Articulating early childhood practice

Children's resilience: Working with the Early Years Learning Framework

Learning and teaching through play

Stars are made of glass: Children as capable and creative communicators

Other research topics can be found in the numerous articles available.  International perspective on regulated family day care systems (April 12, 2013), recycling and sustainability, challenges of diversity and dissensus, and children's rights were all topics in the current articles. SURPRISING: One thing that surprised me was a link at the bottom of the home page which is a currency converter so that you can see prices in your own currency. Another surprise was a media alert dated March 19, 2013.  It was an announcement of a $300 million investment to fund wage increases for ECE workers from the federal government.  Yes, you heard correctly.  Here is a quote from the article:

March – Media Release – Wages investment supports quality early learning MEDIA ALERT Tuesday 19 March 2013 “An essential part of providing a positive early learning experience for children is having qualified educators who can lead a play based curriculum that supports children in their learning and improving educational outcomes. “But without sufficient wage increases it is difficult for services to attract qualified educators.”

NOTEWORTHY:

The website has a book for sale titled, The little red  yellow black book which is written from an indigenous point of view and is an introduction to indigenous Australia.  It's purpose is to gain understanding and respect of the cultures and includes everything from art and theatre to sports, education, and governance and history.

Research that benefits children and families

     There are many research studies done that have positive effects on children and families.  The NAEYC website offers links to many of these reports and summaries.  One such study looked at almost 200 early childhood education programs and their partnerships with public schools and community organizations.  The reports shows how these partnerships have sustained changes which benefit children and families.

     The Child Care Action Campaign (CCAC), found that partnerships were challenging because they required a change in beliefs and motivation.  This was just as challenging as acquiring or spending more money.  They also found that 80% of the partnerships were initiated by school superintendents.  Finally, the CCAC found that partnerships between schools and early childhood programs are an effective way to provide children access to high quality childcare, thus preparing them to enter school ready to learn.  These partnerships created a system that is "greater than the sum of its parts". 

     The CCAC made several recommendations based on their findings:
               

• All children should have access to the benefits of good quality child care and early education, especially in lower income communities.
• States committed to improving school readiness and educational outcomes should invest in bettering the quality of early education.
• Superintendents in all the nation's school districts need to see collaborative early childhood efforts as a vehicle for education reform as well as a foundation for universal prekindergarten.
• Not only should children be ready for school, but schools must be ready for children.
• Community-based early childhood organizations should be encouraged by our findings and approach schools with specific proposals for partnering.
• All early childhood partnerships must take into account the needs of working parents.

There are many other research reports available that are beneficial to children and families and can be found at the following link:

http://www.naeyc.org/resources/research

My Research Journey

     The topic I will be researching is how special education helps children with learning disabilities.  I chose this topic because my 16 year has reading disabilities and I have watched him struggle over the years.  While he is in school getting learning support from his IEP, he experiences some success and his grades have definitely improved.  I also see children at the center I work for, children as young as 18 months, receiving services through their IEP's.  I see the results and want to know what is working for each of these children.  Knowing that all children learn differently, I'm sure that each case involves different techniques and I am curious to know the methods and styles of the special education teachers as well as  the accommodations provided for these children.

     Through the research chart, I have learned the many different steps involved in a research study.  I also realized the importance of following the steps in order to have a valid study.  I feel the "designing the research" step is going to be the key element in the research process and I am a little nervous about deciding which methods to use.

     I look forward to reading other's posts and hope to learn from everyone about what worked for them, what didn't work, what they would do different next time, etc.  I feel that learning from my colleagues is vital to my success.

     Good Luck to All as we begin our research journey!