Start Seeing Diversity: What I have Learned

• One hope that I have is to be able to work with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds in a healthy way.  I hope to empower them and be inclusive. I hope to learn from them and for them.  I hope to make them a health part of our school community.
• One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to make some permanent changes to our literacy centers.  My goal is to develop a library that is truly reflective of our school community.  I would expect the library to show all types of cultural and linguistic groups.
• To all my colleagues - Thank you for coming and taking time to visit my blog and comment.  I have learned a lot from you.  Let's continue on this journey of progress and change so we can be the positive change for our children. Happy holidays. 

Start Seeing Diversity: My Poem

Uncomfortable journey
through bias and prejudice
Facing inner pain and hurt
Caused  by US and others

Delving deep into our feelings
of people, culture, and religions far and near
opening our hearts and mind
in order to elicit change

Powerful journey
with our colleagues, now friends
uncovering our true selves
without fear or shame

Others are on this journey
through education courses we go
So we can impact future generations
and those near us as well

The journey has uncovered bias
we didn't know was there
but from one level to another
continuing we must go. 

Start Seeing Diversity: We Don't Say Those Words

This week we are required to write about a time when you witnessed an adult or yourself reprimand or silence a child after he or she pointed out someone they saw as different.  

I remember when I was a child I lived in an apartment building.  There were 20 families in our building alone and there were 3 other buildings on our  block.  I remember clearly one fourth of July where everyone was outside lighting fireworks and sitting outside.  I saw a neighbor from an adjoining building outside which we rarely saw.  She was an extremely obese women and when she sat her legs would double over.  I was shocked and kept staring at her.  My mother noticed my reaction and pulled and pinched my ear.  She gave me the "look" and I knew I better stop.    Later my mother told me that we don't stare at people.  My mom told me she is like that because she is sick so don't stare.

I think the message I got is that 1) It is rude to stare.  2) Sometimes there is a reason for people to have something wrong with them.  3) We don't do things to hurt others.   

I think an anti-bias educator would have various examples of not only people but different sized people in the classroom.  I think an anti-bias educator would have valuable literature that shows all sorts of people.  I think an anti-bias educator would make it a cornerstone of their philosophy of teaching that all sorts of people either by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and size should be respected.  Obesity is a growing epidemic and through the media and children's literature they are viewed negatively.  This can change through the sensitive teaching of an anti-bias educator.