Strategies for Working with Diverse Children

Diversity:  We are different, we are alike, we are unique, we are lovable and we want to understand each other.

Together we work, we play, we love, we are holding our world in our hands. 

What I have Learned

     The article, Who Cares for Our Children? By Valerie Polakow made me want to cry when I realized how far behind the USA is in the field of education, especially in the field of Early Childhood (Pelo, 2008).  I work with a woman who is from Germany, having raised her children there, and moved to the USA when they were grown.  She told me that the USA was far behind Germany and other European countries in the area of education.  She voiced her concern about the USA not working to advance Early Childhood Education.   I had a hard time believing that we are that far behind but the statistics speak for themselves.

  Poverty is the bias that touches my heart and I feel that is my goal, to work with women and children.  How can I help correct this situation? I know that this kind of assistance comes through one-on-one ministry. This chart shows poverty among women by race/ethnicity and age.

Thank you to my classmates for their discussion posts that have helped enriched my life and taught me many new perspectives.  A special thank you to Dr. Hertz for her professionalism and interest in me personally. 

References:

Pelo, A. (Ed.) (2008). Rethinking early childhood education. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools. 

Women and Children in Poverty(2007), Google Images.  Retrieved from  http://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&   biw=1280 &bih=611&q=women+and+children+in+poverty&oq=women+and+children+in+po&gs_l=img.1.0                .0i24j0i5i24.1845.6952.0.10970.24.24.0.0.0.0.162.1843.23j1.24.0.eqrwrth..0.0...1.1.DkJkDtDDE5    A

Start Seeing Diversity Blog: Creating Art

Pain, heartache, rejection

Where do I go for relief

Who cares for me

Who cares who I am

I look down the dark street

No one is there

I look up the dark street

No one is there

I see a light in the distance

I follow the light

Who answers the doorbell

A teacher who cares

A teacher who puts herself aside

To care for me, and all the others

A teacher, a person I can trust

A teacher who will listen

A teacher who will direct my learning

A teacher who will develop me

Into a person who will achieve

And learn to love

Thank you to all the teachers

                    Who care!!

Pictures are Worth a Thousand Words

I do remember an incident that happened with my first son when he was small but old enough to recognize differences.

We lived in West Virginia, a place with many Black people.  We were walking down the street with Patrick in his stroller.  Suddenly Patrick said, “Daddy look at that man.”  This man was an older Black man: the man was offended.    Daddy said, “what about the man?”  Patrick said, “Look he has a beard.”

The man began to laugh, he thought Patrick was pointing out that he was Black but when he realized that Patrick was talking about his beard.  The beard was long and very white.  

Patrick had been exposed to many Black people, one of my best friends was Black and her mother ran a foster home for teenagers, over 101 children pasted through her home, with a mix of White and Black.  She called her house “The Oreo House.” 

I think the message to the child is that people can relate to each other and laugh at the assumptions of biases.

As an anti-bias teacher, a discussion about older men having beards would be appropriate.  I think a picture of men with beards is the answer to questions about beards.  I would use pictures of many ethnicities.  Pictures are worth a thousand words.  I use these pictures to  make the point of the importance of allowing the child to see what he wants to see.

 


Bearded Men retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=bearded+men&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=qQq&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=_654UKa7BcXzqAGH0oHQBQ&ved=0CDQQsAQ&biw=1037&bih=652