Hopes and Dreams

     I hope that with all the children and families that I work with, that no one feels left out or belittled by the actions that I take.  I always try my best to stay on top of information and work that is needed on a daily basis within the classroom.  Many of my students are in before and after school care, it is my hope that with the extra attention to newsletters, handouts, notes and projects that even if I do not see parents, that they feel welcomed within the room.  I know that my parents are working hard to support for their families, and I want them to know that I am working hard with their children as well. 
     The one goal that I have is to set up and maintain a Who Am I wall.  I want families and children to be able to explore their cultural heritage and be confident in stating who they are and where they come from.  Many of my students are unaware of the differences around them.  They know the similarities when they talk about parents in jail, or electricity being turned off. I do not want them to know that this is the only similarity they share with people.  I want the students within my class to leave with a love and understanding of who they are.
    
     I have loved sharing this course with all of my classmates.  It has been an adventure of learning, and I am sad to see this class go.  Thank you all for your kind words of support and wisdom! I look forward to continuing the journey with you all, and to conquer this program!

Hello Finland!

I was inspired about the story in our course reading, and I started to investigate Finland.  The more I investigate it, the more I want to go!!
There are some great ways that you can make a new family feel welcome in your center.

First off you can have signs in their native language that welcome them into the room.  The website http://www.speakfinnish.co.uk/phrases/general_conversation has all different types of phrases, numbers, colors and other valuable language that you can learn and hear in Finnish!
This would be an amazing thing to work with students prior to the students arrival into the room.  That way when the family enters, the classroom has some key phrases that they have studied that they can say to welcome the new child into the room. 

With learning about the language, you can also learn about the country at www.visitfinland.com.  Children in the class can spend time researching information and come up with a list of questions that they would like to ask the new student upon their arrival.  This can give the student a sense of pride in who they are and where they came from. 

Art projects, who doesn't love a good art project? Students would be able to tear pieces of paper in the colors of the flag of Finland to place on the walls within the classroom to show support of the new students arrival. 

Talking with the family and finding out what language they speak will be very important.  Even though it is said that many Finnish people speak English it will be important to ask the family what other language they would like to keep with the child.  In doing so I would also ask the family if they would mind coming in once a month and read a story to the class in Finnish.  This would give the children and the family a love of a language.  To be able to learn a new language, and to keep an old one. 

The last thing that I would do is to give the family a list of resources that are available within the community that have a link to Finnish culture.  There could be a restaurant, small community, a library with information, or even a health spa.  Saunas are huge in the Finnish culture.  It is something that is started when children are very young, and some even have their last cleansing in a sauna after they die.  It is a cultural thing that they take very seriously.  Finding a resource like that within the community would be a friendly gesture to say "welcome home."

The Personal Side of Bias, Oppression and Prejudice

I really had to think about this one.  There have always been name calling or negativity, but I really had to think of the meaning behind it. So this is what I remember....

When I moved out to California I was living with a family that stayed away from the faith practices.  I had been attending church for as long as I could remember, and missed the family support.  So I went with one of the families friends to their church with them.  This was awkward the whole way around.  It felt weird leaving the house because I felt like I was breaking some kind of code that the family stays in the house on Sunday's.  So when I returned from church I was talking to the lady I was living with, and I told her that her friend had complimented me. The lady I was living with made up this whole shenanigans as to why is was just about her friend, and not even really directed at me. After that she cut off contact from that friend.  It was really hard to go back to church after that. I felt like it wasn't acceptable to go. 

Just because I came with a different set of values does not mean that she had to squash them because I was not like her.  It was deflating because it was part of who I was.  I was in a time in my life where I had to find out who I was, and unfortunately I did not fight hard enough for the things that I wanted for myself. 

Going through this experience I wish I would have stuck to my guns, and kept up with what I found important. There were other people around me that had the similar passions as me, I was just afraid to stand up for myself.  In this situation I think that we could have both learned from each other.  She had a fear about the church, something that needed to be worked out.  Also it is important for her to understand that whatever she went through as a child, is not the way that it has to be as an adult.  I needed to learn how to stand up for myself.  I spent too much of my life trying to please other people and to help them, instead of figuring out who I was and what I wanted. 

You can only learn and grow from the past to become a stronger person.

Did you really just say THAT?

Going through our assignments this week, I felt that it was urgent that I get this off my chest! This happened this evening when I was leaving work. 
Here is a little bit of background information:
I work in a public school with a pre-k class of Head Start students.  When I returned from winter break, my assistant had quit and I have been working by myself the last week and a half.  Last week went great, did not mind being by myself.  I could regain the control that I had lost previously, but this week all the students came back as if summer break had just taken place.  Today I had kids running in the room, screaming at their friends, I had a student cry because he unfortunately for no reason was the last to wash his hands.  Chaos was in full force.
So, at the end of the day I am talking with the after school teacher who has some of my students, and a handful of students from the other room.  Ever night when I leave I tell her have a good evening and today she said " With Head Start you know there is no structure, they just like to learn through play and stuff, so I have to work with this ( as she pointed to the children wrestling on the floor) at the end of the day".
These words cut me to the core!  If my students do not have structure, then I am not a teacher, I am a babysitter.  I responded " I am sorry you see it that way, my students have been like this since this morning, and all they have had today is structure and a routine, so I have no idea why they are doing what they are doing." So I continued on my way out the door and repeated my "good night" and added "good luck". 
That small comment made me feel like I was a horrible person, because there was no way that I could be a teacher and just let my students play all day long. She made me feel that what I do is insignificant to what she does with them.  As I continue to write this, I keep wanting to explain myself and what I do, and how I teach my students, and I should not have to. 
Such simple words can have such a profound impact with someone!

Is Individuality Lost?

The responses that I received from friends and family members were not what I was expecting.  I asked a diverse population of friends, all from different backgrounds and histories. 

Here are the definitions of culture that I received:
     * A persons upbringing and or background
     * Culture is simply our way of life
     * Distinctive traditions and beliefs of a group of people
     * What people believe in such as: the arts, things people appreciate


Here are the definitions of diversity I received:
     * The economic status of people
     * Diversity encompasses ALL ways of life
     * When one thing is not like another
     * People of a variety of beliefs, color and background and experience all living in a community

As a society we are a diverse population dealing with different cultures of people.  Our culture can encompass our simple way of life down to the food we eat, the music we listen to, the places we go.  For the most part our economic status is also defined within our culture.  " The roots of our current dominant culture were planted by those with the power-that is, White, English-speaking, male landowners, political leaders, and Christian religious leaders".  Diversity is the uniqueness within everyone that brings together our sense of culture. 

It is interesting that a persons' heritage was left out, yes they can be incorporated into distinctive traditions and beliefs, but I expected some mention of some respondents heritage.  I think that is one thing that has been list along the way, or it is just overly assumed that we choose not to verbally recognize it anymore.  Are we loosing our sense of individuality to a society that has just assumed the obvious?

Decisions Decisions...

This took some time to think about what I would actually bring.  The first thing that I would bring is my family genealogy.  The second thing that I would bring is a blanket with my family tartan on it, and the third thing that I would bring is a photo album. 

Bringing my genealogy book with me would allow me search through my history and retrace the roots of my family.  You never know where they came from, or what type of people they were until you do the research.  I just might be stranded in a country where my family has been, and it might allow me to make a connection with them.

I have been making quilts since I was in high school, and having one made out of my families’ tartan would hold significant memories for me.  It would bring the memories of spending time with my grandparents, and great grandparents.  I love the time that I have spent with my family, and this would remind me of those times.

The third thing that I would bring is my photo album.  My family photo album would bring to life the memories and stories that my genealogy could not.  It would show the diversity of my family, and the many walks of life that they have led. 

I would feel sad having to give up two of the items, but I would keep my photo album.  Photos explain a story that sometimes words cannot, and I would have those stories forever.  I have gained a deeper appreciation for the family trinkets that I do have.  There are so many things that hold different meanings to me, and it is difficult to try and think of giving those up.  It makes me think of the thousands of families that came through Ellis Island to start a better lives for their families, and left everything behind in search of a better future.  It takes amazing courage and strength to be able to do something like that.  There are still families today that leave their home country and come to the United States in search of a better life.  I am very appreciative for what I have, and the memories that I have been able to create without significant struggles in my life.  

When I think of research....

What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?

I learned not to panic!! The more that I kept reading the course material, the more my research started to fall into place.  So now I have the confidence that with researching as long as I keep looking for valuable information the easier the process becomes.

In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?

When I would think of research I thought that my desk would be covered in papers, open books everywhere with highlighted sections.  Research is more manageable than what I had originally thought.  When you find the right information things just start to fall into place.

What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?

I think that it was beneficial to do background searches on the research topic that you are conducting.  Having the insight and information that has been previously conducted on the research that you are wanting to conduct is very helpful.  It gives you ideas of how to conduct your research, and can even perused you in a different way to conduct your research.  It can offer a different perspective about important topics that might have been previously overlooked.

What were some challenges you encountered- and in what ways did you meet them?

I was difficult going through certain chapters in the book, and relating it to my research topic.  There were just different research techniques that made it challenging to try and figure out how it would relate to my research topic.  As long as I continued to do the work, and not give up, it was manageable. 

What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?

It has made me more aware of the vast abilities of an early childhood professional.  I think as educators in the field we take on a lot of responsibilities that we aren't even aware of.  No matter where we go in our journey as teachers we take on a role of a researcher, observer, a specialist and so much more. As an early childhood professional we are multitasking talented individuals!