Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

 I think that as a early childhood educator we experience and see "isms" within our classroom from parents and our students. However, what gets me is the parents that show  these prejudice and bias in front of their children. I taught inclusion for  four years. I can remeber the second year of teachign inclusion, had a parent of  a student who  did not want her child in the inclusion  class, because she thouhgt that I would"water down" the lessons. This really bothered me in more than one way. First, I wanted her to know that i did not water down any information given. I reassured her that I had high expectations for each student. Second i wanted the parent to understand that her child would learn compassion and understanding from someone who is different and  learns things in a different way.
 I think that s an ealry childhood educator, sometimes it is hard  to be the one in control  when issues arise. We must remember that each person has thier own way of thinking. However, when people as the parent from above learn something new it s a great expereince for all.

Adult and child communication

 I observed an adult child conversation outside on a p;ayground. The child had hit another and the paretn was very upset with the child.  The mother made the child apoloze to the other, but then the mother continued to talk to her child in a rather uncalming voice. As I continued to observe, I notice that the child was trying to tell his mother something. Finally she hushed and asked the child what was it. The child answer "I hit him because he hot me first."  The mother had this look of   surprise.
 I think that the parent felt embarassed that her child hit. I think that for the communication between an  adult to be more reaffirming, the adult must first find out why the behavior happened, before talking harshly and discussing punishment. Children are smaller versions of adults, they can tell you why they did something, however, it is up to  the adult to say why the reason was  a good or bad one.  i think in our society today with all the stress, adults automatically start with the punishment talk due to emotionsthey are felling at that moment. However, after out emotions have calmed, that is when we finally decide to find out why did you do that.
 I believe that as adults when we talk harsh and punish our children before we find out all the details, that we are telling our children that we do not trust their problem solving skills. Do not get me wrong I do not support hitting at all, But I do think that when children do not take up from themself, this leads to being bullied..
 As I watched this communication, I began to think about how I talk to my own children. I must confess that I tend to talk harsh and discuss punishment before i ask why did you do that. What I have learned from this conversation is that I need to make my conversation with my children and students  meaningful. There needs to be purpose within the communication. But more important, the communicatiion between an adult and a child needs  does not need to be one sided.

Childcare center

 I would love to have my own childcare center. I would have colorful rooms but also a nap room that was painted with soothing and calming colors.  In the rooms, I would have multi-cultural books, posters of cultures from around the world, cultural language posted on items and workers who are proud to work with diverse groups of children and families.  I like what Mrs. Castillo said about the schedule being posted for the parents.  
i would love to have days set aside when familes and childrens can come in mingle with each other. I would also love to incorporate culture day where families can come in and maybecook their childs favorite food or discuss something that is unique about their culture. The main thing I would like  for my childcare center to experience is being known as the place wher all children and their familes as well as worker cooperate to enhance childrens learning.

Ending of class

 First I want to say thank you to all  my classmates. This has been a great learning expereince for me. I believe that all of our  insights have lead to some great discussion post.

 A goal I would like to sit for the  Early Childhood field about diversity would be to help children understand that being different is a great attribute.  I think that teachers not meaning sometime   show favor to one student over others.

 A hope I have for  helping families and children.  would that they help pass the knowledge of a peaceful community and nation on for generations to come. I as an educator  I need to help parents  understand varing cultures  which will allow them to  correctly answer questions that their children may have about other cultures and races.

Art

 I Joy Douglas have learned from this class that to have a nation of peace, I must start with my own family. The picture of the earth to me represents how every person within the world could work hand in hand for peace, respect, and understanding of others. The pictures of my children remind me that to help teach others about peace, respect, and understanding, I first must teach them.

Children and others who are different

 As a pre-k teacher who taught inclusion, I have had  some children who have never been around any  other children with a disability. Two years ago I had the previlage to have a little girl who had brittal bone syndrome and could not walk. She scooted around on the floor . I had children at the beginning  of school who called her a baby. At first it made me mad and i told the children not to call her a baby.
 I think by doing these I hinder the childs understnding that  some people are different in different ways.
 As an educator, I begain to think  that these children have never been around others with disabilities so the next day I read books about being different. I also read a book a bout a child with brittal bone syndrome.  Then I let the child with the disability show the others what all se could do. After this all the children began looking after her.They would make sure there was nothing on the floor that would hurt her.

Gender and Sexuality

 I believe I would respond to a person who stated that they felt that gay or lesbians should not teach or children, that a person sexuality has nothing to do with the persons ability to teach.  According to one of the classes I have taken at Walden , there are people within communities who are gay , however,  their sexuality is not broadcasted to the community.

I al believe that  an issue we need to discuss with  students is the fact that boys and girls can be whatever they want to be. Last year when I thought pre-k a little girl wanted to be a firefighter. The boys said thst she could not because she was a girl. I  found books which had girl fighters and luckily our fire department had a woman firefighter who came  during fire prevention week. I think as a society especially in the South, we send the message that girls have to be teachers or nurses or stay at home. This issue needs great attention to ensure that the women of the future can be anything and can support themself.