Professional Hopes and Goals in Providing an Anti-Bias Education

I hope to live in a world free of prejudice, bias, and discrimination.  A world where people think before they speak and act. A place where all feel welcome, all feel respected, all feel valued, and all feel they have something marvelous to add to our growing and ever changing community.

Personal Goal: Set the precedence and example in the field of early childhood to shut the door to prejudice and celebrate diversity.

 

Thanks!  to all my colleagues for trusting us enough to share your personal stories, memories, and private moments of your life.  Some memories are hard to recall and even more difficult to tell.  I have been touched by the hardships each of you were willing to open up and provide.

 

 

Welcoming Families From Around the World

A family comes to my childcare center who has immigrated from Finland.  There are several things that I will do to prepare myself to be culturally responsive to this family.

• As I am talking with the family during enrollment, learn all I can.  Politely ask questions specifically about where they are from, showing interest in their culture.  Ask them about things they are concerned about, traditions or cultures they would like to maintain, and things they think are important in their child's educational experience and the way they are treated.  Also to find out why they came to America and what they  hope to gain from their experience for their child.  Also, ask if they would be willing to share family photos from where they are from.
• Then research and learn what I can about typical customs and cultures for the area they came from in Finland.  This would be moving beyond things like their capital and state bird, but really learning what the people do, their education systems, holidays they typically celebrate, etc.
• Next find books, music, posters and perhaps toys or clothing that represents where they are from.  Finland has some beautiful landscapes and obtaining posters and pictures from their area may help them feel welcome.  Integrating music, toys or other cultural materials may help make the transition easier and help them feel respected.
• I can also ask other people I know from this area to tell me a little more about what it is like in Finland.  I have found that talking with people you learn more about culture and traditions and what things are really like than reading about them online.  This would help me get different perspectives and may even spark further conversations with the family at another time.
• Last I would look for community resources for the family.  I would want to be prepared to connect them with groups or organizations in the community where they may be able to relate to others who are in their same situation or who may be able to make their transition easier.  These community resources may also be able to provide support and help for our center, especially if there are translation services that may be needed.

I hope that these preparations will help both myself and the family by helping us to have a better understanding of one another needs and desires, lessen unintentional microagression or discrimination, and help feel supported in our efforts to provide a quality educational experience for the child.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Last week I observed the following conversation take place between a white person and a person with brown skin:
P1 - "Are you from Mexico?"
P2 - "No, I'm from Utah"
P1 - "But where you born in Mexico?"
P2 - "No, I was born in Utah"
P1 - "Well are your parents from Mexico?"
P2 - "No"
P1 - "Well where are your parents from then?"
P2 - "My mother is from Utah. My father is from _____(some other country but I can't remember what was said)"
P1 - "Do you speak Spanish then?"
P2 - "No"
P1 - "Do your parents speak Spanish?"
P2 - "No, my mom only speaks English and my dad speaks ____ (can't remember what language he said)"
P1 - "Well why did you go to Mexico then?"
P2 - "I always wanted to visit there."

I believe in this conversation P1 is making an assumption based on a small piece of knowledge, he knew P2 had just visited Mexico, and based on the color of skin.  This conversation may have began by just being a simple conversation, but leaves room for discrimination and prejudice towards P2.  I believe P1 put himself in a position of power, diminishing equity, by making an assumption based on the outward appearance of someone.  It didn't seem at all that P1 was uncomfortable with the conversation, but it did seem like it made P2 uncomfortable with the conversation.  As an bystander to this conversation, it made me uncomfortable and I was a little at awe.  Someone else actually jumped in and changed the conversation to be a little more appropriate. 

I think there are several things that could have changed this conversation to bring about better equity.  First, I think P1 didn't have the slightest idea that what he was saying could have been hurtful.  I think the way he was talking, the tone he was using, and to some extent the words he actually said put him in a position of power and authority and talking that way to anyone could have made them back down.  It was almost as if he was giving a silent message saying that he was better than him because he was white and from America and anyone who was different was not good.  Second, I think as a bystander I could have done more or something sooner to try to change the conversation or ask more details about his family and culture and highlighting the good and exciting pieces of that. I felt uncomfortable in a way that I wasn't sure how to respond or react, and to some extent, as a female bystander to a conversation between two men, I also felt that I didn't have the power or right to step into that conversation. The person who did change the conversation was another male.  I am not sure why I really felt that way, but it made it difficult for me to intervene.