My Professional Hopes and Goals

                                                By Lisa Martin

It is my hope that as an anti-bias early childhood educator and an advocate for children and families everywhere I will be able to contribute to the emergence of a more tolerant and equitable society. It is my hope that I along with my devoted colleagues and classmates will be able to impact change from every corner of the globe. I accept that change does not occur overnight or in a vacuum, but I believe as Louise Derman-Sparks that it is our vision of a better more peaceful world, where equity and justice are available to all humankind, that generates the passion and motivation to keep us striving towards its fulfillment (Laureate Education, 2011).

It is my goal to be the type of early education professional that is able to work with and support children and families from all over the world, as I create an anti-bias classroom that embraces diversity. I will be a teacher who knows herself well enough to make sure her cultural framework never interferes with her ability to make others feel at ease in her presence, and allows her cultural responsiveness shine through in every situation. I want young children and their families to be at home in my classroom. I intend to partner with families and empower them to advocate for the best possible outcomes for their children. I will work towards greater equity and social justice for the children and families I serve.

My passion has grown over the past eight weeks as I have witnessed the passion of my classmates. My peers shared their experiences and thoughts with me in a most unselfish way, driving me to do the same. It is them that helped me perform the deep self-reflection I needed to really understand who I am, and examine the feelings I had internalized and buried so deep I was able to ignore them. We as a group were fortunate to have a professor who inspired greater critical thinking and made sure we always took a broader view of any subject. I want to thank my classmates for teaching me about their countries and cultures, and taking the time to read my blog and offer insights.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Diversity and equity work: Lessons learned. [Video webcast]. Retrieved from                                                                                              https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse %26id%3D2651 0391%26url%3D