Communication

I want to believe that I communicate with everyone in the same way but I think I would by lying to myself.  I believe I am guarded with groups of people I might not have encountered before. 

1) When communicating with Southeast Asian people, a teacher should not touch the child on the head because they believe this gesture has stolen the child's spirit (Gonzalez-Mena, 2010, p. 80).

2) Try to identify something you have in common with someone if you want to communicate effectively.

3) We should be motivated to communicate.  We should be motivated to learn and improve ( Beebe, Beebe & Redmond, 2011, p. 103).

Communication Role Model

I think an example of a person that exemplifies clear communication is Oprah Winfrey.  She has won the heart of the world by being an effective communicator especially because of her ability to listen to others, understand where they are coming from and not be judgmental.  This is something I strive to do in my professional life especially because we deal with so many people from all walks of life.

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 One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is to make them feel welcome and comfortable.  I always tell my families that this school year we will be like family because we will get to know and share so much together.  I will be  a part of their child's lives and they in turn will be a part of my life.  I hope that all the families I deal with will feel that I treat them like family. 

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice would be to incorporate cultural studies in an in depth way - not just studying holidays or food but really encompassing the experiences people have, and we can learn some history along the way.  

  

To all my colleagues, I have learned so much from you while we examined our feelings and delved deep into our experiences, both good and bad.  Some of you have shared heart-breaking situations and have truly opened up.  For that, thank you because I learned so much from seeing the world through your eyes.  Hopefully, we can all make a difference where we are but you have all made a difference in me.  Good luck to all of you in your endeavors.

Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

I have personally experienced bias, and prejudice.  But I am choosing to talk about an incident that my high school friend experienced.  My high school friend,  Naji who is Indian, had a horrible time in high school.  He was small and very thin.  He was constantly teased and picked on especially by a Chinese group that went to another high school but took the same way to the public transit system.  We always walked in groups and would witness the teasing but we ignored it and would keep on walking.  But one day, Naji had to stay late after school, I believe he was tutoring someone in math that day and on his walk to the public transit he encountered this Chinese group.  Unfortunately, they took advantage of the fact that he was alone and they decided to beat him up.  He was beat so badly that they knocked out his front teeth and he had cuts, bruises, and a broken rib.  It was literally a "gang" we were to learn later that had been harassing him.  This "gang" took issue with "Indians" and had decided to make Naji an example of their gang war.  The police had to get involved and they tried to get justice for Naji.  Naji was never the same again.  He became extremely reclusive and wasn't the same person.  He stopped tutoring after school and finished the semester and transferred to another school.  This particular incident diminished equity because it disempowered Naji.  Even though he had the law on his side, he never felt safe.  We felt so bad for Naji.  Justice was never really found for him.  The incident changed him forever and I will never know if he received healing from this incident.  After he left my high school, I never saw him again.  To turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity many things would have to change. I think my high school administration and the other high school administration should have taken more action to prevent these types of incidents.  They should have been more pro-active in trying to implement startegies to open dialogue for different groups.  The schools failed Naji and the students involved in this incident.  Change needs to happen on the local level.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggression

Well, my husband and I just relocated from NYC to NC.  What a huge difference?  During this time of transition my husband and I had to get NC licenses.  We went to the DMV and they go through all the formalities and ask questions.  Well, my husband went first and the gentlemen asked him all the formalities and also asked him What race are you?  My husband answered White and my ethnicity is Latino.  They also asked my husband numerous times to validate his address.  It seemed like they didn't believe the address he was saying was his. Now, you might ask what is the big deal.  Well, the big deal came when it was my turn to go to the teller and she didn't ask me the same questions my husband was asked.  So sometimes it takes a while to realize a microaggression has actually happened.  I felt this was an example.  It was subtle and I'm sure the man was well-intentioned.

My observation experiences this week affected my perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people.  The biggest thing that changed my perception is the way I view people by the way they are dressed or speak.  Are they speaking with slang words, or accents.  I realized the stereotypes I have are based on first impressions.  Just the fact that I think I know a person's cultural background by looking at them, shows that I follow a script in my mind that is full of stereotypes. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I asked my brother, who is a Marine what is culture.  He said, culture is given to you.  It is built on traditions and traditions build culture. Culture is the way you live.  Culture is derived from people making you who you are.  This way of life is passed down from generation to generation.    His definition of diversity are the differences in culture.  Diverse entails the differences evident in each specific culture. Based on what my brother said I think he hit the nail on the head with his idea of culture.  I asked him this because he has traveled the world and he is a male perspective. 

I also asked my brother's mother-in-law, Louann,  what is culture.  She was brought up in a foster home and her perspective is different.  She attributes her culture as Mexican.  She doesn't know what she is ethnically but identifies herself with how she looks.  She looks Latina so she identifies with that culture.  Diversity is change and how each person is different.  


I think the answers I received demonstrate how diverse people's perspectives can be.  Also, I am reminded that to most people culture is what is touched upon on the surface.  No one really gave me a "deep" cultural answer.  I was really taken aback by Louann's answer and perspective.  She wasn't raised by biological parents so she assumed the culture of the people she thinks she looks like.  She doesn't even know if she is Mexican.  For all she knows she is Arabic or Egyptian.  I wonder if knowing that truth would cause her to identify herself differently.  
 

My Family Culture

If I had to choose three items that represent my family culture I would take a wedding album, a cookbook, and a piece of Puerto Rican Taino art.  My wedding album is very important because it represents the family, and how it celebrates a family wedding.  The wedding album is representative of several generations of family.  The cookbook has been handed down from my mother to myself.  She received Cocina Criolla from her stepmother who had given it to my mother.  This cookbook was later translated into English and my mother gave me this new version.  My mother matched the English version with the Spanish version she had and wrote notes for me to follow.  This was given to me as a wedding gift.  The Taino art was a piece of art that my husband and I purchased on a trip to PR.  It was the first real piece of art we purchased and we treasure it.  If I was told that I could only keep one personal item and had to give up the other two items I brought with me I would be devastated.  How can I choose which is more valuable when I value all of them in different ways?  As  a result of this exercise I realize how important family is. I think it is true for all cultures though.