MICROAGGRESSIONS

Microaggressions:  small acts of non-physical aggression towards people of different race, gender, culture, abilities and sexual orientation.  

The following video provides a wide range of common microaggressions.

This video is an example of how we take part of a person's identity and turn it into a bad word.  In this case they ask teens to show what it means to run "like a girl."  Then they ask young pre-adolescent girls the same question.  The answers are not the same!  I guess being a girl and a mom of a girl this one touched me deeply...you might need a tissue!

In this example a Korean American woman is approached by a white male and microattacked.  When she turns it around on him and treats him the same he says she is "weird."  This is a clear example of how dangerous microaggressions are because people do not even realize what they are doing!  It is also extremely funny!

OTHER EXAMPLES:

My mother-n-law:  A Canadian hockey team was to play against a Chinese team.  Before the game the teams met and and a Canadian player asked a Chinese player, "your English is so good where are you from?"  The Chinese player responded, "London, Ontario."

Sister:  Angie went to boot camp and her Sgt. called her Army Barbie.

Husband:  When my husband and I went to Chicago to file paperwork for his permanent residency (he's Canadian) we were appalled of the treatment of immigrants!  You wait in lines for hours!  We waited all day (8hrs) got to the front of the line to tell us that they were closing for the weekend.  We were given a ticket that would get us in the next business day without waiting.  When we went in we discovered that there was a four hour line inside.  People are not allowed to sit down in line, even children!  The guards yell at non-English speakers like they will understand better if they yell it.  It was a horrible experience.  

My husband is an interesting example.  People and media joke about being Canadian all the time.  Being part of the white male dominant culture allows him to play along with little offense.  Even though these experiences accumulate they do not leave him feeling inferior or ashamed of his citizenship.  

Myself:  When I call customer service with a problem that I am already frustrated about I get more frustrated when the agent has a think accent.  I never say anything in regards to this, and I recognize they are intelligent and capable of helping, but it is frustrating none the less.

When I was in college I had an African American friend visit me from my hometown.  As we were driving through the city he asked, "where are all the black people?"  My response was "this is a nice part of town."  I was mortified and ashamed as soon as I said it.  I had no idea that these biases were so ingrained into my thoughts.  No apologies can fix statements that come out like this.  It is our responsibility to grow and become more aware and reflect on these ideas so that we don't make the same mistake again.

There are two reasons why microaggressions are so dangerous.  First, according to Dr. Sue, "It saps the spiritual and psychological energies of the person receiving the microaggressions, because it is cumulative in nature" (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).  Because these comments can be so subtle it makes a person question the validity of their identity.  It is also very hard to address comments like these without appearing to be overly sensitive or paranoid.  So recipients of these attacks must either suffer in silence or face defending and validating their feelings.

Second, the violators usually make comments without any malice or bad intentions.  This lack of awareness can not be an excuse.  These hidden biases can be even more dangerous than overt racism and other isms because they believe that their voting, hiring, and interactions are free of prejudice and stereotypes and therefore they are not open to changing.  Dr. Sue says, "microaggressions not only cause psychological distress but creates inequities in employment, in education, and in health care" (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).

References

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Microaggressions in everyday life [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

DEFINING CULTURE and DIVERSITY

What is CULTURE and DIVERSITY?

Response #1:

Culture-common beliefs traditions or customs held and practiced by a group of people.
Diversity-that which makes one different from another

Response #2

Culture has to do with values and norms and these are often revealed in the "stories" that are shared in literature, news, histories, legends, etc. and looking at what gets reported, where/when it's reported, what people/types of people are in the stories, etc. tells you about the values and norms. Countries, regions, businesses, schools, churches--probably all human groupings--have cultures and they are influential, sometimes even fostering behavior that is immoral or unethical. 
Diversity can be nationality, race, gender, $, etc, (any of which might be culture-based), but diversity can also be refer to differing points of view.

Response #3

Culture is a system of values with three characteristics: they're shared among a group of people, learned, and passed on from on generation to the next. 
Diversity is when different cultural, racial or other demographic systems are present within the same environment.


Reflection:

In all three examples, culture is broadly defined by values and norms established by a group of people and passed on to other generations.  I would agree with this broad definition and if asked my definition would not be all that different.  This is what is commonly addressed when we look at cultures.  When we think about sharing pieces of our culture we look at clothes, food, artifacts, languages, religion, traditions, and skills.  I have recently learned the importance of going past a person's surface culture and looking at the small things we do everyday that set us apart from others.  This shows us that even within larger cultural groups each family has their own cultural norms and they create a very specific way of doing things, communicating, and handling issues.  It is our culture that provides the lenses in which we see the world.  Janet Gonzalez-Mena discusses how the roles of women and men differ between cultures down to the way they sit (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).  This difference can be much more vital to understanding when working with diverse cultures than how they celebrate holidays.  How individuals view the roles of children (communicating with them and discipline) can deeply impact how connected a family feels to your program and your interactions with them.  In order to successfully include diverse cultures in an early childhood program for instance we must look at the deeper meaning of culture.

Looking at what comes to the minds of others when asked to define these terms I realize how important it is that we broaden our definition in order to really understand other cultures.  When we look at a group of people that all have the same skin color, wear the same clothes, and eat the same types of food we begin to overgeneralize about cultures and make assumptions about how people will react or respond to given situations.  We want to sometimes believe that culture and diversity is something that we can see with our eyes, but true culture is something much more personal and is reflected in the ways we go about our daily business, duties, and interactions.

Reference

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Culture and diversity [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

MY FAMILY CULTURE...IN A BAG

A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.

This feels like such a difficult question for me.  The most important thing to me would always be my family.  I feel like I do not live in the same generation as my mom and grandma.  I do not have any family heirlooms that represent who we are as a family for generations.  I feel like my family culture comes from all the things that we do on a daily basis.  For example, we talk about our day every night at dinner with each other.  We do this so much that as soon as we sit down at any table to eat, my 3 year old asks, "so, how was your day?"  Even if we just woke up and are eating breakfast.  So with that in mind I chose the following 3 items:

This is the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.  These two books teach me my spiritual relationship with God.  For me they go hand in hand and I can't use one without the other.  The Science and Health shows me how what we learn in the Bible is practical and can be demonstrated in the present.  This is also something that is deeply shared among my family.

My family loves to play games!  Card games are always our fallback game of choice and it has been for many generations.  My husband and I both have fond memories of learning to play euchre with our grandparents.

I don't know how I could choose just one, but I would have to bring a photo album.  I have always loved looking at pictures of when I was a child, but not nearly as much as I enjoy looking at pictures of my children when they were babies.  Pictures capture things that fade in our memories and I would be very sad to leave my many cherished albums!

If upon arrival I was only allowed to keep one item it would be my Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.  “To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings.” (Science and Health, preface, p. vii:1) No matter where we went I would know that it could be filled with big blessings if we are leaning on God. 

This exercise has taught me how very little I value my material belongings as long as I have my family.  My husband and I don't even wear wedding bands.  My diamond fell out and he out grew his, considering he is 6' tall and only weighed 135 lbs. when we got married!  However, there are freedoms that we have in the United States that I take for granted like our first amendment rights for freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of press.  

On the other hand It scares me how much technology has become such an integral part of our lives as well.  We listen to digital music while we cooked dinner on an electric stove while our clothes are drying in the electric dryer.  I  seriously considered whether to bring my phone as one of my 3 things, but my husband replied, "what if there is no electricity or internet?"  Hmmm, there are such places.  And with my own country crumbling how much would a phone really matter?  It would be about preserving the well-being of my children and that is how I decided on my 3 items.

RESEARCH REFLECTION

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

Going forward I feel that I will be able to better understand and utilize research journals in my professional growth.  I do not feel that it is nearly as intimidating to read through research after learning how to get to the meat of the articles (what to read and what to skip).  It was valuable to learn how to skim through articles to find ones that suit your topic.  

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

Working through my own research simulation I realized that it could be something that I would be able to do.  Research is a way to answer questions that we still have about early childhood.  I liked the flexibility that research design has allowing for big and small projects.  As teachers I feel that we apply the elements of research in our own classrooms every time we question our own practices in order to make changes that better suit the learning and well being of our students.

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

The most important thing I learned about research in early childhood is how best to work with child participants.  I have always thought about participants more as subjects before taking this course and working through my own simulation.  I learned how much more valuable, insightful, and reliable the research results can be when children are respected, valued, and included in the whole process.  I learned so much about acquiring assent from children and assuring them that they have a choice in whether they want to participate.  In child interviews or observations it is important not to lead a child into specific answers or results, but ask questions that you do not know the answers to.  Children are so easily manipulated that it is so important to follow their lead in order to get genuine answers to the questions your research leads you to. 

• What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?

I think the biggest challenge I had in the simulation was my research topic.  It was too broad at first, and then it changed to something that I wasn't really confident in my understanding.  I started with the question of "how does play influence the development of executive function."  After we studied qualitative design I feel that I successfully narrowed down a topic that I could not only work with, but it had relevancy to my teaching experience; I was honestly interested in my final research question, "how do learning environments (learning areas and activities) affect impulse control in preschoolers (3-4 year old)?"  The other challenge that I would foresee is staying interested in my topic.  I was relieved to have developed a topic that I could see myself remaining interested in.

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

I have always felt the one of the main qualities of being a professional in this field would include staying abreast of current issues and trends in this field.  I would say now that being a professional should include reflecting on the current information out there and asking questions that still need answers, and then finding the answers. 

I am very grateful for the foundation I have built in this course in research.  I would like to say a special thank you to Dr. Ferrari for the support and guidance in my research simulation.  It was quite a journey.  Thank you to all of my colleagues that went through this journey with me.  It was very helpful to read your thoughts, insights, questions, and your own struggles.  You never know, we might find ourselves working on a research project together someday!

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH

Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a virtual university that provides training and education opportunities in the field of early childhood for individuals from countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.  The purpose of this project is to increase the number of early childhood professionals committed to the well being of young children in each of these countries which will increase early childhood opportunities and help with social development.  Students participating are from such countries as: Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi, Uganda, Eritrea, Kenya, and Lesotho.  Each student is assigned an in-country committee member as well as a representative faculty member from the University of Victoria in Canada.

This project has amazing benefits to international research regarding early childhood issues because students from each country work on a thesis or major project that is specific to the needs of their country.  Educating individuals within their own region empowers people who are truly familiar with local issues as well as cultures and language to become professionals advocating for change.   In my master's program I work within a community of inspiring people that have much to give to the early childhood field.  However, I am more likely to work for change in Michigan and more specifically in the greater Grand Rapids area because I am more aware of those issues as they affect me personally.

On this site all theses and major projects done by students are published to help educate the public.  The following are several theses and major projects that will have a direct effect on the country involved:

• Development of a Model Framework for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in the Early Years in Ghana (Sabaa, 2004)
• Policies and Programs in Support of Childcare for Working Families: 
• A Case Study of Data Sets and Current Activities in Uganda (
Nankunda, 2004)
• Assessing the Influence of Different Early Childhood Development Models on 
• Pre-School Children’s School Readiness in Kenya (
• Ngaruiya, 2004)
• Traditional Child Care Practices in Tanzania: Supplementing PLAN Training Programs (Salakana, 2004)
• Curriculum Development Using Community Resources [ in Eritrea] (Bairu, 2004)
• Developing an ECCD Teacher Training Curriculum in Lesotho as Part of a College Education Program (Sebatane, 2004)
• Pilot Study of the Adaptation of an Established Measure to Assess the Quality of Child Services in a Selected Orphanage in Zambia: The Inclusive Quality Assessment (IQA) Tool (Akinware, 2004)
• Assessment of the Caring Practices in Two Motherless Babies’ Homes in Abia State, Nigeria and the Development and Delivery of a Nutrition Training Program to the Staff of These Homes to Improve Nutrition of Children in Their Care (Akomas, 2004)
• Coordinating the Development and Implementation of the 2003-2013 National Action Plan (NAP) for Children in Malawi (Chalamanda, 2004)
• Utilizing Indigenous Stories in the Promotion of Early Childhood Development Programs in Uganda (Gamurorwa, 2004)

A wide range of topics and issues are explored in these projects including orphans, working families, policy implementation, quality assessment, training and education, using community resources for curriculum design, school readiness, and utilizing indigenous stories to name a few.  I was dissappointed that the web site is nine years old and was last updated in 2007.  I am curious if this was a one time program to educate and train professionals in the field as there is not any current information added.  However, for issues and topics in sub-Saharan Africa this site is very informative.

IMPACT OF RESEARCH

In Grand Rapids, Michigan over 80% of low income children that qualify for preschool are not currently enrolled.  Research tells us that a quality preschool experience for children living in poverty can result in:

• increased preparedness for kindergarten
• completion of more years of school
• over all increase in life time earnings
• a decrease in teen pregnancies
• a decrease in crime resulting in imprisonment
• less need for remedial services
• an increase of mental health

Grand Rapid's response to this research was the implementation of a state funded preschool program called the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP).  The GSRP assesses a child's risk factors up and above just low income.  Unlike Head Start, GSRP will enroll students living 300% above the poverty line if they qualify under other risk factors.  Some of these risk factors include:

• low birth weight or premature birth
• low academic achievement of parents
• incarcerated parent(s)
• victim of abuse or neglect or in the home of a parent that is a victim of abuse
• experienced the death of a parent or sibling
• diagnosed with a learning disability
• expelled from child care centers or preschool programs due to behavioral challenges
• English Language Learners or English as a Second Language including parents that are not English proficient

However, qualifying preschoolers still do not have access to preschool programs.  In many cases the programs are just not conveniently located to give access to children that do not have transportation.  In response to this need $5 million was donated in 2011 by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to form an organization called Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC) to provide quality preschool programs for children within their neighborhoods (Scott, 2013).  The grant provides funds for the renovation or creation of spaces for preschool programs.  Over 200 spots were created for preschoolers with the renovation or opening of 6 locations within the target neighborhoods.  This is an ongoing project and the numbers continue to grow for children that need access to quality preschool programs.

References

Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.elncgr.org/about_us.html

Scott, M. (2013, June 5). Kindergarten readiness: Vulnerable Grand Rapids neighborhoods targeted for free preschools. InMLive. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2013/06/kindergarten_readiness_vulnera.html

RESEARCH TOPIC

My current master's course is Building Research Competency.  In this course we will be exploring a research topic and simulating a research project.  My broad research topic is executive function in early childhood.  What is executive function you ask?  The following video helped me to understand the importance of this subject to this field.

For the purpose of this course it was necessary to refine my broad topic to a more specific subtopic.  I will be researching the benefit of play curriculum on executive function development.

Research is one of the more intimidating aspects of becoming a professional in the field of early childhood.  Understanding the process is helping to make it feel less overwhelming.  The following are the steps taken when approaching a research topic.

• FORMULATING A RESEARCH ISSUE OR QUESTION
• Do a literature review of research already published.
• Refine your topic, issue, question, hypothesis
• RESEARCH DESIGN
• Deductive research process vs. Inductive research process
• COLLECT DATA
• Quantitative research data vs. Qualitative research data
• PROCESS/ANALYZE DATA
• WRITE A RESEARCH REPORT

My current literature review will include:

Kelly, R., & Hammond, S. (2011). The relationship between symbolic play and executive function in young children. Australasian Journal Of Early Childhood,36(2), 21-27.  Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=ddacfd0f-47f3-40e5-8ea5-892f25f166b3%40sessionmgr114&hid=113

Wegrzyn, S. C., Hearrington, D., Martin, T., & Randolph, A. B. (2012). Brain Games as a Potential Nonpharmaceutical Alternative for the Treatment of ADHD. Journal Of Research On Technology In Education (International Society For Technology In Education), 45(2), 107-130.  Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=ddacfd0f-47f3-40e5-8ea5-892f25f166b3%40sessionmgr114&hid=113

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010, July). The foundations of lifelong health are built in early childhood. Retrieved from http://www.developingchild.harvard.edu

National Association of the Education of Young Children. (n.d.). http://naeyc.org

Gartrell, D. (2013, March). Democratic life skill 2: Guiding children to express strong emotions in nonhurting ways [Electronic version]. Young Children, 68(1), 90-92.

Please keep me in mind if you come across any sources that you think might help me explore this topic!