Reflection on Learning

During this class at Walden University, I have learned so much about diversity and strategies to work with diverse children and their families. I am thankful for all the new information that I have gained. My hope for my future as an early childhood professional is to one day see a time when diversity is not treated as a negative issue. Diversity is what makes everyone special and unique and makes our society rich with ideas and keeps it growing. I hope that children in the future will see diversity in a positive light and be excited to embrace every human being for who they are and what they think.

I want to truly thank all my colleagues that I had this journey with. It is not without your hard work, perspectives, and support that I have been able to learn so much. I hope that each one of you has gained as much knowledge as I have and that each of us can become advocates for diversity. I hope and wish that the children and families that come into contact with you change your life for the better and you change theirs as well. You all are amazing individuals and it was a privilege to work with you!

Start Seeing Diversity

Diversity is how people differ

It affects each one of us

It might make some people quiver

And really drive those nuts

But if you look deep inside

About the discomfort, trauma and bias

It could make you cry and feel pride

About how these people abide it

Thoughts and negative feelings about the ones around

Really hurt the world and diminish our society growing

It’s time to strike down

And educate the unknowing

Believe in each other

And help the world feel love

We are really the mothers and brothers

To send out a diversity dove

"We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

When looking at diversity and communication it is important to view how each of us communicates towards a child. At times when a child says something that is not politically correct, adults usually just try to hush the child before anyone else can hear what the child said. During that time, it is a teachable moment that needs to be embraced. I know I am guilty for not using that time wisely as well.

I have been a nanny most summers for various families. One summer I was a nanny to these adorable little boys. Their ages were 3 and 5. Sometimes we had to go places that were not very entertaining for them because of errands I had to do or some that their parents left. Once I had to drop off a paper for the older boy’s Boy Scout troop. In line ahead of us was a lady that was bigger boned and was not as feminine looking as the boy’s mother. The younger boy shouted, “Is that a lady or man because it has a mustache but is wearing heels. I thought you were either a boy or girl not in-betweens.” I was mortified and told the little boy to please be quiet and it’s not nice to talk about others in a negative way. His response to that was, “it’s not bad I just don’t understand”. I then gave him a look that communicated to be quiet and he was.

The message that I could have been communicating to this child was that it is not okay to ask questions if you do not understand something. I could have also communicated that it is not okay to speak one’s mind. I also never answered the question about the difference between men and women or if there is a third gender which also could confuse him. Overall, I did not do a good job handling the situation and did not follow up with the child about this episode. I did tell his parents about it, but also did not follow up with them about their exposure and their conversation they had with him.

How an anti-bias educator might have responded to support the child understanding would be to say that it does not matter what gender a person is, because everyone is special and has special characteristics. I could of even said people are all made different and it is important not to say something that could make someone else not feel good about themselves. I could of also focused on maybe saying the positives about the person. Following up with literature is also a great way for early childhood children to understand concepts so a library trip could have been very useful.

Overall, I now know how to act in a more positive manner and use those teachable moments to help benefit all children.