Week 6: The Sexualization of Early Childhood

In today’s society, boys and girls are receiving all kinds of messages related to sex through the media. I was working with students from a 2^nd grade class. Seven year-old Tamera arrived and politely put her belongings in the cubby. As she emerged from the closet, she was wearing some large hooped earrings. Her classmate Mitchell asked Tamera why she was wearing those big circles in her ear. Tamera shouted “This is how I can get a boyfriend and have a baby….I can get my sexy back…I get it from my mama.” When I heard that phrase, I was unsure of how to react. Could she have been modeling her mom’s behavior? It’s interesting how we sometimes think children aren’t really paying attention to the things we say or do.

Six year-old Corsica and Shane were clapping and singing cheers on the playground. Corsica sings “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard” as she sticks her bottom out and continues shaking from side to side. After asking her about where she’d heard the song, she explained a popular music video that comes on the music channel every week. She also explained that if she wore tight pants like the singer in the video, she would get more friends to like her.

Eight year old Kaylee asked her classmate Josh “What does it mean to knock someone up?” Josh said “I don’t know” and continued reading his book about glaciers.

If young children are exposed to sexualized content, this may negatively affect their development because they will unintentionally say the wrong things which can upset peers, parents and others. Further, children can watch something on television and believe it’s real or acceptable to imitate sexual behavior.

As I heard some of these comments, I found it extremely challenging to respond to. I think it’s very important to tell children to ‘not believe’ or imitate everything that they see on television. It is also essential for them to understand that they don’t have to look like someone else to be accepted.

Week 5: Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

As an early childhood professional who will be teaching preschool, it is essential to raise awareness and implement effective strategies and resources that will address the various –isms that people will face in their lifetime. As a woman who has faced sexism, I am reflecting on the   comments others have made toward me. The following include

o   You would make a good cook…. you should stay in the kitchen and have my dinner made when I get home.

o   Hey…Let me bring home the money….You should be taking care of the kids while I work.

o   Most of the time, a child will respond better to a male’s voice during disciplinary procedures…I don’t think teaching is the best place for you.

Surprisingly, these comments were made by a family member. Believing these comments can make one feel powerless. However, I will use this as a teachable moment during my interactions with children and families. For example, I worked with a 2^nd grade student named Lindsey who stated that she dreamed of fixing cars but repeated that her dad thought it would be too dangerous because she could get hurt.  I want to be a good role model by sending out the message that children can accomplish any respectable goal/dream if they believe it. I will teach and show picture books, film-strips and movies to children that demonstrate female workers performing well in occupations like construction and heavy equipment operating. By doing this, I may be able to dispel the stereotype of men being the breadwinners.

 

 

 

Week 3: Observing Communication

On a snowy afternoon, I decided to go to the community grocery store to pick up a few delicious snacks for the next episode of Honey Boo Boo. A young mother and her son were walking around the store and the boy was crying aloud. The mother stops and yells “I’m not buying you that truck….it costs too much money….shut up.” The boy was about 3 years old and she snatches him by the arm out of anger. “Come on….let’s go…right now,” she said as she continued to walk with her hands pulling tightly on his clothing. Then the little boy falls to the floor pouting and refusing to get up. The mother continues yelling and everyone is turning around looking at her because she seems to be overwhelmed and losing control in the situation. The mother looks to another woman and says “These children just get on my nerves” and pulls the boy by one arm. All I could think about was the pain this boy was feeling in his shoulder as he is being pulled.

As I observed this interaction between the mother and child, I can understand that most moms get overwhelmed when there seems to be a battle between letting a child have his way and being able to peacefully grocery shop for necessary items. However, it was very unnecessary to be yelling and snatching the child around. I learned that using patience and a firm/respectful voice are important strategies for communicating with children. I also reflected on the fact that parents are the child’s first teachers and the language we use does have an effect on the child’s thinking. Our choice of words is important….Consider the power of a hurtful word (Dangei & Durden, 2010, p. 81).

As a single woman with no children, I found the situation a bit challenging to deal with. It’s easy to look and judge others when events are not happening to some of us. However, screaming your lungs out is not the solution. To make the connection more affirming and effective, the mother could have done several things to improve the situation. She could have ignored the child’s demanding. She should have explained to the child that the behavior was unacceptable and that if the behavior continued, he would be removed from the store. The mother could also take the child to a private location to get away from staring eyes and allow the child to get his screaming and kicking out of his system.

I think it’s essential for all adults to exercise patience, speaking in a language that is respectful of children and learning the process of stepping back to listen to children. Stepping back means not only slowing down and really listening, but also consciously shifting your mind from the immediacy of the conversation to consider it from other perspectives (Stephenson, 2009, p. 90).

References

Rainer Dangei, J., & Durden, T. R. (2010). The nature of teacher talk during small group activities. YC: Young Children, 65(1), 74-81.

Stephenson, A. (2009). Conversations with a 2-Year-Old. YC: Young Children, 64(2), 90-95.

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.  

 

 

 

Week 8: What I Have Learned

The journey of becoming an anti-bias educator has been a rewarding experience. I have been making a difference in the lives of people: 1 child at a time-1 family at a time, while simultaneously becoming a better person each day. The journey of modeling anti-bias behavior continues with several goals.

I have the hope that building stronger teacher-family partnerships will encourage more families to discuss topics that affect them.

I have the goal of teaching all children to use nonviolent strategies such as patience, honesty and confidence to respond to teasing and unfair treatment from others.

I want to thank all of my colleagues for sharing their experience with bias, stereotypes and prejudice and making the learning environment a meaningful place to grow for all professionals!

Week 7: Start Seeing Diversity - Creating Art

On my journey to promoting anti-bias behavior I wrote a poem that accepts the visible and invisible uniqueness found in children and their families. Children can recite, sing and clap along. It is essential for Early childhood professionals to celebrate the different identities, abilities, and characteristics that are found in everyone.

 A Rainbow of Us!

Hello… Hallo…..Hola….Aloha…..Salut....

We are little…We are big

We are dark…We are bright

We are tall….We are short

We are silent…We are talkative

 

We eat chicken…We eat worms…We eat rice…We eat mice…

Crawling….Walking….Rolling….Skipping…

Learning ….Playing …Working ….Growing…

 

Together we stand as a blended family….

A blended family….A blended family

Happily Ever After…. we are free…

As long as we celebrate…you, me and my dog Hairee!

Week 6: Start Seeing Diversity: "We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

 Teaching children with varying abilities requires extra effort and attention. Anti-bias educators will find many rewards and happy moments along the way. We may encounter challenging moments when some adults and children ask unwelcome and rude questions regarding a child’s condition. It is always a great choice to handle the situation with calmness, patience and sternness.

 I was tutoring four 2^nd grade students in the hallway of an elementary school. Seven year-old Megan is living with a condition known as cerebal palsy and requires the use of a wheelchair. Megan has a classroom job of sharpening everyone’s pencil. She enjoys doing things to help her classmates. She was one of the 4 students being tutored on this day. As I was starting the activity, I noticed that the students did not have any pencils and Megan offered to get 5 pencils. Jennifer, a girl sitting at the table, made a rude comment. She responded “Aw man…do we have to wait for her…she’s moves like a snail in that raggedy wheelchair…anyone who uses a wheelchair can’t move very fast.” Bias based on physical disabilities is any attitude that subordinates people because of a disability or other physical characteristics (Laureate Education, 2011).  When I heard her say that, my eyes turned into beach balls out of pure shock. As we were waiting for Megan, I asked Jennifer if we could speak alone for just a minute. I immediately told Jennifer that we should be positive or be quiet and that Megan has a condition that makes it difficult for her to move as fast as others and there is no reason to be rude to her. During our private conference, Jennifer apologized for making the comment and began looking toward the floor.

 I believe I communicated the message of showing respect for all people.

 An anti-bias educator could have used several strategies to support Jennifer’s understanding of people who require wheelchairs. The teacher can ask Jennifer why she thinks all people using wheelchairs move slowly. The teacher can have a series of classroom discussions in which books depict people of varying abilities being active members of society. Some books model anti-bias behaviors and help children think about how they can act against different kinds of bias (Laureate Education, 2011).

 References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer).(2011). “Start Seeing Diversity: Physical Ability and Characteristics.” {Webcast}. Baltimore, MD: Author.