As this educational journey comes to a close I would like to reflect on a few deeply felt learnings I gained while engaging in my Early Childhood Studies graduate program.
• Dr. Derald W. Sue’s introduction to the severe psychological harm on a person’s well- being when microaggressions are inflicted upon the lives of minority groups. The definition of microaggression will forever drive my passion to support equity and justice for all, “brief everyday indignities that are verbal, behavioral and environmental, that they may be intentional or unintentionally communicated to women, to people of color, and to gay/lesbians” (2011, Laureate Education). Listening to Dr. Sue’s video and reading the literature he authored inspired me to identify and confront my own internalized biases and to create a process that will support other early learning professionals to confront their internalized biases, enabling them to provide equitable educational services for all children and families.
• Before taking the EDUC-6162 Issues and Trends in the Early Childhood Field class I had a tendency to work in a silo because I felt I could get the job done in an timely manner. The knowledge I gained from this class changed my perspective on the value of teamwork so we can identify and address all intended and unintended consequences of any decision that will affect children and families. Intended and unintended consequences need to be analyzed as a part of the decision making process when working with children and families. Examining these consequences requires a team approach, which will sustain a thorough and mindful decision that will benefit the majority.
• Becoming a learner of families is an ongoing process which requires being an active listener, maintaining a strong home-to-school connection and sometime research of the family’s individual cultural values and traditions. Research has shown that children’s developmental progress excels when parents are involved in their child’s education. As an early childhood professional it is my responsibility to ensure all families supported to be their child’s life-long educational advocate. First, I must be sincere in my approach to be a learner of the family.
My long-term goal is to see my Capstone Project brought to the legislative level so all educators, from birth to college, will be required to engage in an anti-bias educator training before they teach in a classroom and annually thereafter. I have already reached out to the National Indian Head Start Directors Association to support this as a mandate in the next Head Start Reauthorization. Their executive Board of Directors provided very positive feedback and once their lawyer takes a look at it, will determine if they will support the anti-bias educator mandate in the next Head Start Reauthorization. The next step will be to include it in the Washington State legislative agenda for all early learning programs and school districts in the state of Washington.
To my early learning colleagues and instructors, there are no words to express my gratitude to you for adding so much value to my life. The emotional and cognitive return on this investment is priceless; each and every one of you added fuel to my passion for advocating equity and social justice for children and their families. I will miss reading your discussion posts and I look forward to keeping up with each of you on your individual blogs or on our Walden MSECS Class of October 2012 Facebook page.
Favorite quotes:
“Let us put our minds together and see what future we can make for our children.”
Chief Joseph, Nez Percé (Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt), 1840-1904
“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, these ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” Robert F. Kennedy, U.S. Senator and Attorney General
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). “Microaggressions in Everyday Life” [Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6284779&Survey=1&47=8983925&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
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