Professional Hopes and Goals

   Professional Hopes and Goals 

I hope that as I continue to work with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds, I will continue to grow from the life experiences that I’ve had and learn from the experiences of others as well. I hope to continue to learn by listening and being open-minded to change. Nothing stays the same. We have seen that this week with the ruling on two very monumental pieces of legislation: parts of the voting rights act being overturned and the Supreme Court recognizing same sex marriage.

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice would be to be “to be the change that you want to see in the world”.-Ghandi Change starts with us!

Goodbye!

It has been a pleasure working with everyone. Thanks for your support and your honesty. This has been one of my favorite classes so far. We really dug into some tough subjects but it seemed like we were able to pull from our own experiences to share.  I wish you all well as we continue our program here at Walden. Good luck and enjoy the rest of the summer. 

Thesha :-) 

Welcoming Families From Around the World

Mozambique

It has come to my attention that I will have a student coming to my class from a country in the southern part of Africa. I would share information about Mozambique with my students and practice saying words like Good Monring!- Bom dia (bom-dee-ah) so that we could welcome the student when they arrive. The ways that I would make this student feel welcomed into their new class environment would be having a flag from Mozambique in the class when the student arrived. I would go to cultural specialty store and try to find pãozinho  which are Portugese style-french buns to have as a snack during a meet-and-greet with the children. By doing these things I would hope that this would help to make my new student and their family feel welcome. 

Official Language- Portuguese 

          

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

GYWN OAK PARK

I have enjoyed taking this course because it has given me a chance to reach out to some of my older family members to ask them about some of their life experiences. Recently I went to work and shared information that we had talked about in our class. One my co-workers asked me if I remembered a park in our county called Gwynn Oak partk. I had heard of the park but it had closed by the time my parents and I had moved to our home in 1978. My co-worker then went on to explain that the park was a small scaled amusement park that was segregated. She said that blacks weren't allowed into the park and the the NAACP had many demonstrations before the park became intergratted. At some point the park was closed and now it has become a park when you can go and have picnics.

When I think about things like this it amazes me that this took place in the neighborhood where I grew up. It makes me feel angry that things like took place in my community. This practice of segregation clearly diminished equity because they made it a point not to admit minorities. It makes me mad to think that just because of the color of your skin, people weren't allowed to go to certain places. 

I'm very passionate when it comes to discrimination of any kind so I know if I had been alive during that time, I would have actively participated in any protests that were organized. 

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

This week we were asked to describe one example of a microaggression that we detected this week. After learning the meaning of the term I was hoping that I didn't actually encounter any this week and that I'd have use a past experience but after reflecting on my week, I do have something current to share. 

Background Information

This year I have had the pleasure of having two wonder assistants in my classroom. One woman is African American and the other is Korean. Mrs. Buchanan was born in Korea and has lived here for many years. She was placed in my room because the previous teacher she worked with no longer wanted her in her classroom because she felt that "she didn't speak English very well". 
 
During the last school year I listened to my co-worker make negative remarks about her because she felt that Mrs. Buchanan was incompetent because she claimed that  no one could understand what she said. I had never worked with her but she had always been very nice to me when we interacted with each other. My co-worker's comments really made me feel uncomfortable. At one point I remember saying, "If she would talk about Ms. Buchanan that way, I wonder what she would say about me"?? 

This Week..

On Thursday while taking my students to lunch, I was asked by one of the cafeteria aids if Mrs. Buchanan can speak English. I asked the person, "Why would you ask me that question"? She explained that one of the children sat at the wrong table and she told Mrs. Buchanan to keep the children at the table so they didn't have to move. She said that Mrs. Buchanan didn't answer her and told the children to move back to their table. She seemed taken back that she didn't respond and even seemed bothered. After my studies this week I knew that I was experiencing a microagrression. I think if I had not read about this during the week the situation would have made me feel uncomfortable. I think I was better prepared to handle the situation this week because of my new knowledge about microaggressions. I told the aid that Mrs. Buchanan does speak in English and that maybe she didn't feel that she had to answer her questions because she was responsible for managing the children while they were in the cafeteria.

Initially I didn't walk over to the cafeteria with Mrs. Buchanan and the kids but she shared with me that cafeteria workers who served the food had been very rude to her. At one point I had to let them know that I would speak to my principal if their behavior continued. I have become aware of the way that Mrs. Buchanan has been treated and I don't allow people to make negative comments about her when they talk to me. Even without learning about microaggressions I think that allowing people to engage in this behavior only validates their behavior. If we don't make people aware of what they're saying and that it makes us feel uncomfortable, they will continue to behave inappropriately. 
 

Perspective on Diversity and Culture

This week we have been asked to interview 3 people and ask them their definition of diversity and their definition of culture. I have posted the question on my facebook page and I'm hoping to get a cross section of responses. I think my facebook friendship group is pretty diverse so let's  see what happens.

Hello facebook family! I'm taking a class and would like some input from you. This week I have to interview 3 people to answer the following: There are no wrong answers so please feel free to answer with your own personal perspective. I would greatly appreciate any responses that I get. Thanks! Have a great weekend!

1. What is your definition of culture
2. What is your definition of diversity

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• Judy Hebble, Marni Cooper and Lisa Smith like this.
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  Monica Carr Culture is what defines a group of people which may encompasses their history, clothing, music, language and foods.
  
  Diversity is all the differences in each of us that causes us to see and appreciate the commonality that is in all of us.

  Friday at 8:07pm via mobile · Unlike · 1
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  Thesha Lewis Thanks Moni!! This is great!!

  Friday at 8:10pm · Like · 1
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  Allison Pettis Rinker Culture is what you are made of: religion, heritage and what makes you, you!
  
  Diversity is accepting and respecting each others cultures! Diversity makes the world go around

  Friday at 8:15pm via mobile · Unlike · 1
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  Monica Carr Hope it helps!

  Friday at 8:15pm via mobile · Unlike · 1
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  Thesha Lewis Yes it does! Thanks Monica Carr and Allison Pettis Rinker!!! This is great.

  Friday at 8:23pm · Like · 1
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  Marcy Kinstler Silver  Culture is knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, religion -- in short a way of life of a group of people--the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next. Diversity is acceptance and respect for cultures that are not your own.

  Friday at 8:57pm · Edited · Unlike · 1
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  Thesha Lewis Hi ladies! Thanks again for your input. This is the type of discussion that has been taking place in my class. There was a question that came up last week where we asked if people should really focus on how different we are. I had to say yes, I think our differences is what makes us unique. I think culture and diversity is all of the things that you've said. Diversity is the differences even within a culture. Think about the different sects within the Muslim religion. There are Sunni, Sufi, Shiites, Baha’is and Ahmadiyya .This is an example of how even within that culture, there are differences in how the religion is practiced. If you think of anything else please feel free to post it!

  Friday at 10:33pm · Like

  I think my group was pretty diverse. 

  Monica Carr- African American woman age 50 

  religious background-Baptist

  Allison Pettis-Rinker- Caucasian America women age 32

  religious background-Catholic

  Marcy Kinstler-Silver- Caucasian Amrican women age 52 

  religious background-Jewish
  
  I didn't get as many responses as I would have like to... After giving it some thought, I wonder if people are as comfortable talking about culture as they think they are. Out of the 314 facebook friends that I have, the above group of people are the people who responded.
   
  
  

  After viewing the media segment this week, I liked the analogy that Janet Gonzalez-Mena gave when she said that culture is like an iceberg… The tip of the iceberg is only the 10% that you see at the top. The 90% when we talk about culture is the things that make people feel uncomfortable that they don’t talk about. I think this may be why I didn’t get a lot of responses from the people in my facebook group. I don’t think that culture and diversity is something that we are comfortable discussing.

  
  

  During of three weeks of study we have learned that culture is “broad”. I think the people who participated in my facebook discussion all hit the mark on what culture is. Culture is the food that we eat, it’s the religions that we practice, its so many things. I do think that collectively everyone that the same ideas.

  
  

  I think that the definitions that were given didn’t really influence my own thinking because I generally I think I share their definitions.. What is interesting to me was the responses from my white friends. Within my own race I’m very comfortable discussion culture and diversity. I have to admit that I was curious to see if any of my white friends would response. I did like Marcy’s responses and I am aware that she does practice Judaism. I know that she and her family practice many traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation in her family. This was a good way to get a variety of responses from such a diverse group of people.

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

   

My Family Culture

                

 

This week we were asked to imagine being refugees being sent to another country due to catastrophe that would devastate the infrastructure of our country. We would only be allowed to take one change of clothes and 3 small items small items that are important to you and represent your family culture…

The items posted above are items that I would take with me to my new country to preserve my family culture.  

The African American Santa- Christmas is my favorite holiday that I celebrate with my family. I decorate my home at the beginning of December with African American Santa Claus figurines. I have been collecting them for many years and each year I add a new Santa to my collection. They aren’t easy to find and I enjoy trying to find them each year.

My family recipe book- I have several recipes that have been passed down in my family for many years. I would take the recipes with me to remind me of the traditional family meals that occurred in my home and in the homes of other family members.

Photo Album- Taking a family album would be a must have. Picture taking is very much a part of family events that take place during celebrations in my family. I would take the photo album with me to remind my children about our rich traditions and celebrations that took place in our family.

Arrival to our new county…

After learning that I would only be able to keep one of the 3 items, I would be upset but I would be happy to still have my family with me. Family is so much more important that material things. If I did have to make a choice about the items that I would keep, I would keep the photo album with all the pictures. The photo album would be my choice because I would be able to look at the pictures with my family and discuss the pictures and re-live the happy times that we shared. I would still hold on to my cultural beliefs with my family by remembering what we shared together. The pictures and discussions would be a great way to remember what we had.

Insight…

This exercise really made me think. I really had to think about the small things that I have that represent me, my family, and my culture… Initially I thought it was hard to try to come up with 3 small. The most important things that I thought about is my family. I’m glad that in the exercise I was able to stay with my family. I think about the past and what we’ve learned about the holocaust.. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to board trains and not be with the people you love and not be able to take anything with you.. If anything, this exercise really made me think about what I value, the traditions that are dear to me and what is really important in my life. My family is what is important. Even if I had to give up materials things, I would still have my family..