Week 2: Creating Affirming Environments
It is rewarding to open the Small Steps Home Child
Care Center to serve the needs of diverse families and children. Creating a
warm, welcoming environment is equally important as a child’s stay here. Parents
will be allowed to stay or drop in at their own convenience. As an anti-bias
educator, I understand that children sometimes have difficult emotional
transitions from their home environment to the daycare center.
As a community of learners, children will design the
Wall
of Diverse Fame. This wall will be decorated with the pictures of each
child along with their family members. Next to each picture will be ‘all about
me’ information that tells the child’s language, favorite colors, hobbies, and personality
traits. When children are having a bad day or are sad for any reason, they will
be able to look at loved ones on the wall of diverse fame. Each child’s family
is free to add any additional information they would like to share with other
family members. The wall of diverse fame allows other families to come in and
read the information, which helps them better understand the other children in
the same day care.
The Wonderful Word Wall will display
vocabulary words in English and Spanish. The vocabulary will represent the
different cultures within the home day care. Such words include BUENOS DIAS, GOOD MORNING, HOLA, HI, GRACIAS,
THANK YOU, POR FAVOR, PLEASE and HOLA, HI. These words facilitate children’s
social skills, language development and anti-bias behavior.
The Little Literacy Center is a room
where families and children can go and explore multicultural books. Moms, dads
and other care-givers can enjoy reading books like OPPOSITES/LOS CONTRARIOS,
FAMILY/LA FAMILIA, COLORS/LA COLORS and many more. Reading and sharing these
books with others will help children identify differences in all people.
I love how Adriana provided a room where children
could go relax and comfort themselves when they were having a sad moment. I
thought the puzzles with the multicolored faces and emotions were creative in
helping children get in touch with their own emotions, the emotions of others
and the differences that are visible.
Hi Tiffiney,
ReplyDeleteI really like your anti-bias learning curriculum. I really like your wonderful word wall that displays languages in different cultures. I also like the idea that Adrianna has about the comfort rooms for children who are sad. I have learned that teddy bears are great comforters for children as well.
Hi Tiffiney,
ReplyDeleteYou have really made a happy place for children and families to feel welcome and secure. I loved your ideas and how you will incorporate them. I really liked your word wall idea!
Great post!
Lori
Tiffiney,
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of a “Wall of Diverse Fame”. I especially like that the children can put their family’s pictures up. I think children should be able to have their family pictures close to them just like adults’ keep them in their wallets or on their office desks. I think showing pictures of family will help children’s family pride too.
Tiffiney,
ReplyDeleteYou have made a nice book center. Could you also include books about community helpers, and gender roles like male nurses, female mail ladies. It is aa new thing for the children now.
We also should have books that speak the language of the children and their families at home.
Sandra