One hope that I have when I think about working with
children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is to be able to be
understanding and accepting of their diversity.
I hope to learn from them and I hope to inspire them to be understanding
and accepting as well. Through our
efforts “not only do we help change the world but also we deepen other people’s
understanding of the unique needs of young children and their families”
(Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 160).
One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field
related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to be the seed
from where all positivity grows from.
When we think about diversity, equity, and social justice the topics
become more serious and challenging as we get older. When we can start influencing children to be
positive individuals at an early age the better chance we have to create a more
positive future for all.
I would like to say thank you to all of my colleagues for
engaging in insightful discussions, posting personal stories and sharing your
knowledge with me. This course was very
special as it has led us all to reflect on ourselves and our views of others. Thank you and I hope to see you all again in
future courses.
Reference
Derman-Sparks,
L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias
education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Hi Rosana,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your thoughts that early childhood educators should "be the seed from where all positivity grows from." If we are able to influence young children to be positive individuals, then when they grow up and become adults, the world certainly will be in good hands. As you move forward in your educational journey, career, and future endeavors, I wish you all the best! Have a wonderful Spring Break!
Rosana,
ReplyDeleteI love the "seed" imagery! You are exactly right that the older we get, the tougher it is to take on the issues of social justice, equity, and diversity. In the early childhood field, we have the opportunity to plant seeds of positivity that can help children learn to cherish and understand differences. The seeds we plant can flourish and spread their own seeds of positivity wherever they go. Thanks for a great post. It's been great getting to learn with you! Best wishes.