When I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds I hope that they feel important, valued, and well-cared for when they are in my classroom. I love the quote above by Jimmy Carter. It speaks to the idea that we are all different as our are values, hopes, and dreams. When he compares it to a beautiful mosaic you can tell that he values these differences and sees them as important. I want families to know that I am on their side and will do anything I can to make them feel welcome and valued in my classroom.
One goal that I have personally is to address issues rather than shy away from them. When I think of past conflicts between children in my classroom I realize that there have been many missed opportunities to teach about diversity, equity, and social justice. I tend to move past a conflict or the mean words of a child by telling them that what they said is not okay. My goal would be to dive deeper and work through the conflict more thoroughly so that both the child who said something and the victim know why what they said is hurtful and not acceptable in our classroom.
I would like to say thank you to all of you for your help during this course. The thoughtful posts, probing questions, and meaningful discussions allowed me to see things from many different perspectives. I've enjoyed learning and growing with all of you during this course. Good luck in your future coursework!
Allison,
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that you realized how important conflict resolution is to children and others. We all have had days where we said, “That is not okay to say or do;” however, there are many days that I talk with each child to tell them why it is not okay to say or do something to another child. Children often do what they see, and say what they hear; if we do not explain why it is not okay to do something, then the child will continue to do the unwanted behavior. In my experience, I have witnessed a child hitting and pushing his younger brother; when I ask why, he does not have an answer. I have noticed if the younger brother hits him back, then he gets upset and cries. I often talk with each of the boys about their behavior. I explain how it hurts the other. They are both beginning to realize that it is not okay to hurt someone else.
I accept your word of thanks and I hope to see you soon in another course. Have a great weekend.
Lah-Lah
Allison I have always had a "thing" about the term melting pot, when younger always had no true meaning to what it meant. Once I learned what it meant I then took issue with the term I did not like its representation of what American diversity was determined to portray. I like the term mosaic much better. As it speaks to the creation of a beautiful piece of artwork, created to be appreciated for its uniqueness. I believe with this mentally, we as educators and early childhood professionals will have no issues of shying away from issues of diversity. Thanks for sharing and voicing your perspectives. Good luck with your journey.
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