Professional Hopes and Goals

One hope that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds (any format and any length)

Working with children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds poses special challenges to early childhood educators. In order for me to meet the needs of all members of the school community, it is my hope that all educators make an effort to ensure that the school system as a whole and each of its components including individual classrooms strives to achieve cultural competence. The increase in racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity in American schools is reflected in many early childhood classrooms. These classrooms also are receiving increased numbers of children with disabilities or developmental delays. The diverse composition of early childhood classrooms brings many challenges as well as many opportunities to educators. With knowledge of effective practices, and with the support of administrators, colleagues, families, and the local and global community, teachers can create classrooms that are responsive to the diverse needs of all children.

• One goal you would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice (any format and any length).

The dimensions of diversity include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, language, culture, religion, mental and physical ability, class, and immigration status. While diversity itself is not a value laden term, the way that people react to diversity is driven by values, attitudes, beliefs, and so on. Full acceptance of diversity is a major principle of social justice.  My goal is to raise the achievement of all students while narrowing the gaps between the highest- and lowest-performing students; and eliminating the racial predictability of which student groups occupy the highest and lowest achievement categories. Recognizing that equality and equity are not the same thing, multicultural education attempts to offer all students an equitable educational opportunity, while at the same time, encouraging students to critique society in the interest of social justice.

• A brief note of thanks to your colleagues

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues for their support during this class. I wish all of you much love and support as you continue your endeavors in your Master’s Degree Program. I wish you all the best and thanks for your support.

 

Welcoming Families From Around the World

• The name of “your” family’s country of origin

The country of origin is Albania. Albanians are a native Balkan people who live in Southern Europe. They call themselves Shqiptare. Albanians live in ethnically compact settlements in large areas, primarily in Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia, but also in Montenegro and Greece. Albanian culture is unique and diverse. There are two cultural groups in Albanian territories: the Ghegs and Tosks. Ghegs live in the north part while Tosks live in the south part. Although there are some differences between the two cultural groups, they keep a strong national identity and ethnic culture. I chose Albania because we have several staff members who are employed at my center and at the beginning they speak limited English. When it comes to working with children they are very nurturing and caring. They treat them like they are their very own.

• At least five ways in which you will prepare yourself to be culturally responsive towards this family

1.   In order to make a child from Albania feel welcomed we make a point of researching the culture so that we can incorporate their culture and beliefs and food into the program. For example, one of the largest holidays we celebrate is the pagan Summer Festival. It is celebrated on March 14 and it is intended to commemorate the end of winter, the rebirth of nature and a rejuvenation of spirit amongst the Albanians. 

2. Provide interpreters in the school setting to facilitate communication between parents of immigrant origin and their child's school.

3. Games that Albanians like is another way of being culturally responsive. We play hide and seek with the children. This is one of Albanian’s most popular children’s game. All Albanian children play this game at least every second day. Game rules are very simple. Children gather around a landmark, such a tree or a wall. One of them will be chosen to close eyes and count while others players hide. He or she will be called it When finishing counting it will call out “Ready or not here I come” and will go to search and look for other players. While it is searching, other children try to run to home base; therefore it should be very careful. It will try to find and touch the hidden and running players before they reach the home base. The first player to be touched will be it in the next round. 

4. We greet the parents with a hug and a kiss.

5. We also learn how to say hi, good morning, good evening, how are you doing, good bye, have a good day and other phrases in their home language. We greet them with a smile, have  a happy face in an appropriate situation, shake hands firmly and thank them for meeting and discussing things with us.

6. We add traditional foods from Albania to our menus.

• A brief statement describing in what ways you hope that these preparations will benefit both you and the family

We are culturally responsive to all cultures in our center. With that being said when you implement practices to make families from different cultures feel welcome they really appreciate it. You make them feel like they are family and they feel like they truly belong. Just this week we had an Asian child start who did not speak English. We asked dad to give us a list of words that we could learn in their language so that we could communicate with her in her native language. I wish you could have seen the smile on his face and he just kept saying thank you and shaking my hand. So doing some of these things in my opinion will most certainly benefit us and the families.

                                                              Albania Food

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

One memory I have of witnessing prejudice is when I was in a restaurant and a mixed couple was waiting for quite sometime to be waited on. Many people were coming in the restaurant to be seated and also got their meals ahead of them. The couple asked to see the manager and he was very apologetic. The waiter made it clear that he did not want to wait on them. He was immediately fired and the manager saw to it that not only did they get their meal but it was on the house and they was invited back.

This situation diminished equity in that the couple because they was mixed were treated differently and discriminated against. They were viewed as being different because of the color of their skin. They were not treated fairly.

 The feelings this situation bought up was that my husband and I experienced a situation of prejudice/discrimination because of the color of our skin and the kind of car we was driving. We was singled out because I guess we are not supposed to drive a nice car if so we must be involved in some illegal activity. It was a horrible experience and one I would never want anyone to go through. After it was all over they was so apologetic not that the made the situation better. We were both very disturbed by the incident. We was driving through a small town headed to Syracuse after leaving a naval base in Plattsburgh. As we drove through the town we could see why we was singled out. That too was indeed racial profiling. Never Again.

I would say in both cases is to change the thinking and mentality of folks, the waiter, and the police. People need to learn that every African American is not a criminal. Some of us work and have very good jobs that put us in a good position. There are a lot of people out there we need to change in order to make things better. Sad to say even today bias, prejudice, oppression and discrimination still exist.