Welcoming Families From Around the World

                                                By Lisa Martin

I am sure as a preschool teacher working with a very diverse population I will encounter families from countries I know nothing about. However, as a professional committed to learning all I can about the children and families I serve, this is not a deterrent or obstacle, but an opportunity and challenge. For example, if I were to have a new child whose family came from the Russian state of Chechnya recently I would take steps to learn about the country and its culture. Some of the steps I might take are:

1.   Go online and get a quick history lesson on Chechnya. I would learn they have experienced a great deal of violence in their quest for independence since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 2001, and the majority of the people are Muslim. (Lohr, 2013).

2.   I will engage in dialogue with the family aimed at demonstrating a genuine interest in their expectations and desires for their child, which will provide opportunity for the family to share with me information about their family culture and history.

3.   I will make sure the family feels welcomed in our classroom environment. I will work with the family and empower them so they fully understand their rights as parents and the importance of their involvement and contributions to their child’s education, so that we may collaborate in the best interest of the child. I will also support them in becoming acclimated to the American culture.

4.   I will promote equity through the curriculum and in all interactions with children, families, and colleagues. We must lead by example, and my behavior and actions will speak to my dedication to equity and justice for all. I will be an intentional listener and culturally responsive communicator, making sure the family understands our commitment to inclusion and equity. I want my words and actions to tell families that they and their culture are valued.

5.   I will find creative ways to introduce the new Chechen child’s culture to the other children and allow for open discussion of cultural differences. We can add a map of Russia to the other classroom maps if we do not have one already and mark the new child’s state on it. We can read books about children in Russia.

6.   I would also make a visit to the home. Basically, I will do everything in my power to make them feel comfortable and included in the early education environment.

I hope that if I do these things the child will develop a positive self-image and learn to appreciate difference. More importantly, I want them to value their own social identities, acknowledge their privilege, and not internalize oppression. Children shape their self-identity based on how others perceive them. “Unless the larger society values ad includes a child’s home culture, children as young as 3 and 4 may internalize a sense of not belonging and of themselves and their family as somehow being wrong” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 58). I want each of the families I serve to know I respect them and their culture, and I empathize with their struggles, and will make every attempt to understand their issues. I believe that if I make every effort to learn about my families’ cultures and support my immigrant families as they adjust to life in a new country, I will forge the type of relationships based on mutual trust and respect that lead to powerful partnerships and success for the child.

References:

Derma-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010).  Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Lohr, E. (2013, April). What we know about Chechnya? CNN. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/20/opinion/lohr-chechnya-dagestan/index.html.   

Personal Incidents of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression     

                                                          By Lisa Martin

I have lots of memories of being treated with bias and prejudice. I remember my days at SUNY Binghamton and thinking that the town’s people had no concept of what equity should look like in the 1980’s, as they were blatantly racist. It was in Binghamton and its neighboring little towns that I learned how subtle racism could be, and these lessons served me well in the years to come. It was little things like ringing up my purchases and then asking me if I wanted a bag, when no one in line before me was asked that and I had more items. The way the dining hall lady threw my meal card on the table after punching it, but politely handed my White schoolmates theirs back. The waitresses at the fast food like chain restaurants took so long to seat us and even longer to take our orders. A teaching assistant once placed a “B” next to my name to identify me as the Black student in the lab class, and even after I reported it to the head of the biology department nothing was done. The professor for whom the assistant worked gave a speech while staring at me about student’s not belonging and how he would weed them out. All of these people refused “to treat in a fair and just manner and take into account my individual capabilities, but rather chose to discriminate against me based on my race” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. xii). And all of this occurred before my eighteenth birthday.

All of the people that denied me my right to equality and equity above caused me emotional anguish, pain, and self-doubt; after all maybe there was something about me besides my skin color that made me less worthy. On the other hand, all they had to do was treat me the way they treated the members of the dominant culture and to create an opportunity for greater equity for me. I have experienced many such incidents over the past decades, but now I stick up for myself. I am also much more self-assured and confident than that college freshman, so I do not buy into the bias they are handing out or internalize the attempts at oppression.

I watch a lot of television and movies, and there is a great deal of prejudice and oppression displayed on both the big and little screen, some of it based on reality. There have been shows and movies that epitomized stereotypes regarding African-Americans, like the poor family living in the projects on Good Times or the single-mother with several children on welfare in Claudine. To counter these stereotypes they came up with television shows like Julia and The Cosby Family, and even though many members of the dominant class have Julia or the Cosby family as neighbors, it seems so much easier for them to view us in housing projects and living off welfare.

We all need to change and start looking at each other as valuable members of society, and realize that our society can only be as good as we make it. One of my favorite quotes by John Donne, found in an Ernest Hemingway novel, pretty much sums up how we should view ourselves and others, and begs the question, should we not take care of the whole continent and each other?

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee." (Hemingway, 1940).

Derma-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010).  Anti-bias education for young children and    ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children

Hemingway, E. (1940). For Whom the Bell Tolls. New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

My Awareness of Microaggressions

                                                By Lisa Martin

Racism has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I feel I have spent my entire adulthood working to prove that I am much more than what others say about the color of my skin, and trying to not be overly sensitive to the issue. Yet, every time there is a news story about a burglary or murder, my first thought is please do not be an African-American. Almost every day someone says something or does something that I interpret as racist and insulting. Whether it is the salesperson who offers to show me a similar item after I specifically requested to see the item I was interested in purchasing, because she assumes I cannot afford it, or the client who upon meeting me in person comes out and says they had no idea I was Black from our phone conversations. I do not understand why Black should sound different over the phone.

Microaggressions are a regular occurrence in my day to day life, and always I attempt to disregard them as innocent statements. Every now and then I get hit with a definite microinsult of the Fuzzy Woeller variety. Fuzzy Woeller is the golfer who after Tiger Woods won his first Masters commented that he hoped they would not start serving fried chicken and collard greens at Augusta. The irony about the whole incident is Tiger is not someone who identifies as Black, and there are people rich and poor who do not want race on their calling card. Someone will make a comment implying because I am Black they expect me to not eat certain things or know about certain types of music, every now and then they really speak their mind. In college we were having a dorm meeting about decorating the hall and someone suggested the use of a cocoa color, and one of my dorm mates said the color was ugly and looked like my skin. On this occasion, I did lose my self-control and said some very bad things to her. For the most part, I simply ignore the statements made by others that signify their lack of understanding of an entire race of people and an ignorance of the concept of seeing the person first and foremost. Unfortunately, many people still see color and have trouble seeing beyond that.

This week’s reading resources have provided me with a greater awareness of how these seemingly harmless comments can be detrimental. Thanks to the readings and videotape I am happy to know that racism and all the other isms are alive and well in this country and I am not overly sensitive. I have also learned that no matter how culturally aware and unbiased I may believe I am, we all have issues and prejudices that have been woven into the fabric of our lives and as teachers it is extremely important to be able to work through and above them. I was especially drawn to the information on internalized oppression. So many of us are walking around carrying pain and anger we have brought upon ourselves, and through our actions may it difficult to let go. Among this group are children who are hiding within themselves feeling inferior and as if they do not belong.

As I have stated previously, culture and diversity are subjects that warrant ongoing education and lifelong learning. People made fun of the President when he said his view on same sex marriage had evolved, but the truth is our positions on issues of diversity are constantly evolving – sometimes in the wrong direction.

 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

                                                          By Lisa Martin

I asked several friends and relatives for their definition of culture and diversity and received a variety of responses. I chose a few responses from people of different age groups and cultures, and in some ways their answers reflected what I am being taught, and some made me think further about culture. Almost everyone saw diversity as the differences among people and groups, and part of what makes this country great. Here are a few samples of the responses I received.

C.S. says “customs and beliefs held by a group”

H.A, says “Culture is the capabilities and habits acquired by people as a member of society.”

J.D. “Knowing your heritage and all that this includes, and not allowing others to destroy it”

A. G. “Culture is defined as the understanding of who a person is via music, ethnicity, social beliefs, values. For example, I am of Southern and West Indian descent, so my combined cultures center on food, family, education, faith, and hard work.”

C. F. “Culture to me is when a group of people share in a common interest or background and participate in very similar behaviors because of that common interest.”

My Italian-American friend J.D. gave a rather long answer and I did not include his entire response above, but his main concern was the importance of knowing your culture and history. He also warned how easy it is for your culture to be portrayed falsely and turned into something it is not. He sighted television shows like The Sopranos and The Jersey shore as denigrating the Italian culture. Knowing the culture and age of the people that provided the answers, made it easier for me to understand exactly what the person wanted to convey. C.F. was the youngest respondent and his response made me think about the cultures we often fail to recognize as such, like the culture of disability or the hip hop culture. These are cultures that do not require us to be of a certain ethnic group or faith. When I tied this answer in with the offering from the eldest respondent it all made sense. Culture is much more than music and art or food, it is about habits and shared attitudes. It is a topic worthy of much thought ad consideration, as we attempt to know each other better and create a more peaceful existence.

On the whole, the answers definitely reflect the idea of surface and deep culture, and the focus seemed to be more so on deep culture as most of the responses referred to values and beliefs. Very few of the respondents looked at their culture in relation to the dominant culture, and I began to wonder how often we really think of our personal culture in terms of the dominant culture. The more I thought about the many definitions of culture I received, the more I thought about the possibilities of what a culture could be, and the immeasurability of diversity.

 

My Family Culture

                             By Lisa Martin

I was asked to tell about what three things I would take with me following a major catastrophe that would force me to relocate to another country.  I can only take three things that will remind me of where I come from and perhaps provide me with some comfort. I am assuming I will be separated from my family and will want to be able to look at a photo of them whenever I want. My first thought was to take my laptop which has lots of photos of family and friends, but I decided I only needed to take one family portrait. The one from my wedding reception before my grandmother, uncles, and aunts passed away, but it would be missing my niece who was not yet born. So in the end I opted for a digital frame containing photos of my happiest family memories, including Christmas as a little girl before my mother died.

The second item I would take is my Bible, because it is my faith that will see me through this ordeal. It will also remind me of my family and our strong belief in God, as well as how my ancestors came to learn about Christianity while being treated in a most un-Godly manner. I will be strengthened by the knowledge of how they suffered and persevered. I will remember getting up early on Sunday and going to church with my mother, and then having brunch at Mike’s diner. All these simple routines meant a great deal to me and remembrance of them will bring me great comfort.

The third thing I would take is my copy of Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech, because it is still the hope and prayer of my people that it will be fully realized someday. My family is very involved in civil rights and social equity. We believe strongly that if we continue to behave in a socially responsible and proactive manner, advocating for the rights of all, there will come a day when there is true equity for all.

As it turns out, in this hypothetical situation I am not to be allowed to maintain possession of all three items, so in the end I will keep my Bible. I was raised to place my trust in God above all else. Faith is the backbone of my family culture, so this is the one item I cannot be without.  I am confident that I can adapt to any situation I find myself in, and I look forward to learning about another culture while teaching them about mine.

The truth of the matter I have come to realize is that my family culture is not full of ancient artifacts or treasures; there are no valuable heirlooms with stories attached being handed down. Sure we have a few family treasures that are worth little, and there are stories attached to each of them, but I do not need the physical item as a reminder. These are stories I have heard all my life, they manage to get recited at least once a year at some family gathering. These bits and pieces of my family history are imbedded in my brain and carved into my heart.

The stories tell me that I come from a strong and proud people, with unique traditions and ways of enjoying our togetherness. We also know that our struggles do not belong solely to us because there are families all over experiencing the same lack of equity, fighting the same good fight. In the end, I am sure the commonality to be found among different cultures does indeed outweigh the differences. However, that is not to say we should not get to know and respect all diversity. The world is so much more interesting and enjoyable because of all the differences.

When I Think of Research…

                                                By Lisa Martin

When I started my class regarding research competency I was full of apprehension. The thought of having to do a research study left me feeling totally overwhelmed and a little scared.  It brought back to me my days as a premed major in college and the required lab classes and lab reports I hated. I took some comfort in the knowledge some of my classmates shared my apprehension. Fortunately, this was not quite like that at all.  Now that I have survived the class and completed a simulated study, I must say it was all I expected and more. Research requires real forethought and planning, as well as constant adaptation, especially in the field of early childhood education and development. I can fully appreciate why researchers are so passionate about their work. You, the researcher are charged with investigating a topic in the hope of shedding light on some phenomenon that can improve the quality of life for children and families, or help teachers find better methods of fostering healthy development in all domains.

For a researcher to be successful in their quest they must be thorough and reflexive in their planning, designing and implementation. It is so important that the researcher know exactly what question he or she most wants to answer or what information they want to provide to the public. Knowing his or her goal, he must identify the best methods for acquiring the data that will prove their theory or hypothesis and answer their research question. During the process of designing  the experiment and selecting the subjects and other participants, the researcher at all times must be cognizant of the need for objectivity and willing to engage in constant self-reflexivity so that at no time is his ego or personal opinions a threat to the validity of the study; nor is there any overt power inequalities. A researcher must never place himself above the study or his participants. For many this can become a real challenge, and interfere with the effectiveness and validity of their research.

I have learned so much in the past eight weeks about experimental design and research tools, and how to read research papers; which will be important to my future success as an early education professional. Understanding how to read research reports and what to look for in a study will prove most valuable to me as these lessons will make me a better consumer of research. After all, our best practices regarding the provision of high quality early education are based on this research. My passion has always been the quality of education received by each child, and the equality and equity of that education afforded to those children considered less fortunate or at risk. This would explain why I found myself far more interested in the ethics and validity of research than the actual methods and statistical analysis. As an early research professional committed to lifelong learning, I have identified yet another hat I must wear – keeper of the standard, approver of the research that dictates my choice of teaching methods. I am glad I had the opportunity to simulate a research study, and get a better understanding of the entire research process, especially those things that can poison the data. The same stereotypes, homogeneity, and inequities we strive to keep out of our classrooms and communities can be entwined in the very research we rely on to operate those classrooms.

I was also impressed with the number of organizations including the government that had adopted rules and policies regarding a code of ethics for the research field especially as it pertains to research involving children.  As I developed my research simulation, I was constantly concerned with and checking for ways to ensure its validity.  It was necessary for me to accept that I may have preconceived notions about certain groups or organizations and confront them head on. It was also important that I use various triangulation methods, as well as objectivity and reflexivity to improve the validity of my study, and make sure that I am lead by the information as it presents itself and not vice versa. A researcher can be their own worst enemy if they try to control the direction of the study. They can alienate participants and violate their rights, or fail to disclose important information or potential for harm to the subjects or participants. Thanks to this course I know the importance of a researcher leaving their ego outside the study area. I have also acquired an interest in actually doing some research.

Research Around the World

                                                By Lisa Martin

For my blog entry I went to the Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) and looked at research done by students in Sub-Saharan Africa countries. I was surprised by the variety and quantity of research to be reviewed, so I focused on the countries where I had friends from Ghana and Nigeria. Once again, I was immediately drawn to the fact that the issues they are researching are questions we are investigating here in the United States as well. The various research addressed concerns like better training of non-professionals who work in the early childhood setting, as well as parents, and improving overall administration and oversight of the early childhood education system. While it was comforting to know that the early childhood field all around the globe is facing the same issues, I felt a bit disappointed to realize that the United States is not a clear leader in the field of early education.

I was really touched by Ezirim (1990) who studied how we could use indigenous knowledge through storytelling to promote care and education of the child in a more holistic manner in his thesis titled Integrating Indigenous Knowledge in ECD Training and Services (p. 1). This research may have spoken to me because it is Black History month and I feel that young inner city African- American children do not know their heritage; and knowing it I believe would improve their success in school. “Integrating Indigenous knowledge into education also encourages teachers and students to gain enhanced respect for local culture, its wisdom and its ethics, and provides ways of teaching and learning locally relevant knowledge and skills” (Ezirim, 1990, p. 2). I gained further insight when I read that UNESCO has a whole list of objectives for incorporating indigenous knowledge into education. I am sure many of you try to get parents and grandparents to come in for circle time and tell stories related to their particular culture or heritage, and you should definitely check out the UNESCO objectives. I just feel strongly that for us to increase our cultural competence and foster it in the children we must make it part of the curriculum. It increases communication and opens up dialogue that makes us more connected and empathetic. It is just refreshing and encouraging to know that these concerns are being addressed on an international level.

The sub-Saharan link of ECDVU provided so many interesting research papers. There were topics that touched on my research subject, as well as most of my colleagues’ choices. Overall, I am sure most of the studies mirrored work that was done here in the United States as well. The early education field is constantly changing and evolving all around the world, and thanks to directives from organizations like UNICEF, each country is examining similar problems and areas for improvement.

Reference:

Ezirim, M. (1990).  Integrating indigenous knowledge in ECD training and services. (Master thesis). Retrieved from http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/documents/major_projects/Ezirim%20-%20MP%20Final%20-%20UVic%20LP.pdf