For the last two months, I have had the chance to delve into issues related to diversity, equity, and social justice in early childhood education. This process has been amazing. I studied the diversity within me by reflecting on my own cultural values and beliefs that influence my work with children and families. I also had the chance to learn the challenges and privileges that affect certain groups because of their different social identities, race, and abilities among others. Additionally, this course reaffirmed my belief that every child has to be given the opportunities to attain their full potentials. It also gave me the knowledge to devise educational strategies that respond to children’s cultural needs.
I believe that early childhood settings should be safe, nurturing, and open to all children regardless of their backgrounds. I hope that all early child hood educators are trained to be aware of their complex social identities, and the way those aspect of their culture influence their work. Likewise, I hope that every childhood educator has the knowledge to empower children to respect and celebrate the diversity within themselves and that of the world around them. Our challenge for the future is to ensure we respond to the cultural needs of the diverse child population we are hosting in our classrooms.
I would like to thank all my colleagues and my professor for the support, advice, and insight, which helped my intellectual growth. I specially would like to thank them for providing a safe panel that allowed me to be comfortable and safe enough to share those uncomfortable feelings and insights that are intrinsically tied to talking about diversity. Good Luck!
I am glad to hear someone else felt the same way regarding the comfort and safety to share thoughts. I started out very hesitant, but was eventually able to open up my feelings so that I could find more clarity in the subject. Good luck to you!
ReplyDeleteI liked how you included that each educator should know how to empower children. I think that is a very good idea.
ReplyDeleteThank you also for I truly enjoyed reading your blogs and learning from your experiences. God bless you in all your endeavors!
Nar,
ReplyDeleteThis course has been an amazing outlet for us to look within ourselves and discover our inner thoughts and feelings about our own culture, diversity, and how we perceive the world around us. As you stated it is now up to us to go back to our own professions and utilize with our children and in our classrooms/centers what we learned to make their educational environments safe and nurturing! Good Luck to You!
Dear Nar,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that early childhood settings should be safe, nurturing, and open to all children regardless of their backgrounds. Dr. Derman-Sparks (Laureate, 2011) states we find these joys to be self evident that all children are created whole and endowed with extraordinary intelligence with dignity and wonder and worthy of respect; the embodiment of life, liberty, and happiness, every girl, and boy is entitled to love to dream and belong to a loving village and to pursue a life of purpose. So, if we as educators will all believe that then we can provide the children with the education they deserve, so they can reach their full potential.
Reference
Laureate Inc. (2011). Diversity and equity work: Lessons learned (EDUC6164: Perspectives on Diversity and Equity ed.). MD: Walden University.
Jo Ann, I really enjoyed being on this journey with you. There was one line in your post which really stood out to me.
ReplyDelete"I hope that every childhood educator has the knowledge to empower children to respect and celebrate the diversity within themselves and that of the world around them."
I have the same hope as you do. You stated it very eloquently. Take care and keep in touch. Julie