HONDURAS

HONDURAS

With the recent surge of women and children crossing the southern United States and Mexico border I thought it would be practical to focus on one of the countries of origin, Honduras.

• Free education is only provided for children through 6th grade.  Many children do not continue on with education even though there are some financial supports that pay partial tuition for continuing students.  It is common for boys to go and work in the farm fields and it is not uncommon for girls to marry as early as 12-14 years of age.                                       

It is important to keep the education of parents in mind so as to not make them feel like they are less than others.  I would work to make sure that all home communications are provided in a variety of ways in case there are some parents that are still illiterate.  As well as invite parents to engage in the classroom through multiple means of storytelling, music, crafts, or dance.

• Spanish is the national language although some schools are bilingual.  93% of the population are considered mestizo (a mix of native and European descent) however, there are still some native ethnic groups (Lencas, Chortís, Tolupanes, Pech, Tawahkas, and Miskitos) as well as a group of people who descend from African slaves from the Caribbean islands called the Garífunas, as well as many people of Afro-Caribbean ascent.

To ensure that my early childhood program is inclusive of all people of Honduras I would inquire about their ethnic group before making assumptions in classroom.  It would be a pretty safe bet however, that they speak Spanish even if they are able to speak English as well.  The classroom as well as the center communications should be bilingual.  Labeling in Spanish would provide comfort and familiarity to students as well as families.  I would also work with parents and children to learn common Spanish words and phrases in order to make the transition to English more harmonious.  I would also encourage parents and families to continue Spanish at home in order to encourage the development of both languages.

• Catholicism is the major religion in Honduras with Christian holidays being a major event for many people.  Christmas for instance, in Honduras, begins at midnight on the 24th and are celebrated for weeks before and after with fireworks.   At New Years the Honduras people make a doll called Año Viejo to symbolize all the bad things that happened during the year and then they burn the doll to burn away the bad memories.  At Easter there are elaborate parades and people decorate the streets with "carpets" of a thin layer of pre-painted saw dust.  Children celebrate their birthdays with candy/prize filled piñatas. 

 

Año Viejo

Easter Parades

Easter "Carpets"

Piñatas

The easiest way to make a family feel valued and appreciated is to celebrate their traditions.  For a Christmas it would be fun to include families in helping to make a traditional Honduras Christmas feast which includes: tamales, torrejas, sweet potato puree, eggnog, roasted pork ham, roasted turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.  If it is not possible to include religious celebrations at your center then it is good to know about these traditions so that you can inquire about and have a conversation with children and their families about their celebrations.  It shows that you value their beliefs and culture.

• I believe that it is very important to show respect and acknowledgement for famous people of Honduras.  This shows children that we value role models from their country as well as our own.  

In my classroom or program I would like to provide posters, books, homemade books as well as non-fiction books, art, and music of successful and notable people from Honduras. There are many internet sites that can provide names of people, but it would be best to ask families and children about famous people that they know to add a personal relativity.

• Finally, I learned that respect is a key concept in Honduras.  It is rude to begin any conversation without making a proper greeting and asking about a families' night or weekend.  Children are required to show respect for their elders and stop and listen when spoken to.  Honduras society also show respect for special needs.  For example the bank has a special line for retired people, people with disabilities, and pregnant women.

Knowing how to greet people and their expectations of children is important to valuing a family's culture.  

I would hope that by preparing for a family from a different culture they would make an easy transition into the dominant culture while maintaining their own culture.  My primary goal would be to show that I value their culture and traditions and encourage them to share their unique experiences with the classroom environment.  It is always best when children can feel a continuity between home and school.  Children should never be made to feel like they have to choose one culture over another.   

References

Farah, D. (2014, August 8). Five myths about the border crisis. In The Washington Post. Retrieved August 15, 2014, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-the-border-crisis/2014/08/08/1ec90bea-1ce3-11e4-ab7b-696c295ddfd1_story.html

Honduran people and culture (2014). In This is Honduras. Retrieved August 15, 2014, from http://thisishonduras.com/People_and_Culture.htm

Honduras (n.d.). In Fact Monster. Retrieved August 15, 2014, from http://www.factmonster.com/country/honduras.html

Living in Honduras (n.d.). In International Living. Retrieved August 15, 2014, from http://internationalliving.com/countries/honduras/live-in-honduras/

Problems with education in Honduras (n.d.). In Honduras Good Works. Retrieved August 15, 2014, from http://hondurasgoodworks.org/education/problems-with-education-in-honduras/

AN INCIDENT OF BIAS, PREJUDICE, and OPPRESSION

During the 2012 republican primary, presidential candidate Rick Santorum was talking about welfare and was caught making a microaggression against African Americans. He said "I don't want to make black people's lives better by giving them other people's money, I want to make them better by giving them the opportunity to earn their own money."  Being a member of the dominant culture as a white male Santorum tries to be politically correct, but his hidden bias slip out.  He would never intentionally try to marginalize a potential voting demographic, but he was caught in a moment when he wasn't guarding everything he said.  Whether it was intentional or not, it is important to look for these microaggressions when deciding whom to vote for. 

This incident diminishes equity by enforcing the stereotypes that say all African Americans are poor, on welfare, and not working.  It also leaves out the fact that most people on welfare are white.  This message says because all African Americans are on welfare there is something wrong with them and they need to be fixed.   

I am always angered when conservatives start attacking the public assistance programs, but I was shocked to hear someone in the public eye make a statement that singled out and stereotyped a group of people.  After learning about microaggressions I realize now that our bias and prejudice are not always very conscious and they sneak out even when we have good intentions,not that I think Santorum has good intentions (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).   I am angry that public assistance programs are made to look like handouts to lazy people with no desire to work.  When in fact many people receiving assistance are children and elderly.  And many people working these days are on some kind of public assistance.   

I think in order to ensure equity people who make mistakes like this should accept them as mistakes and correct the information.  We need to address the hidden privileges that we have in the dominant culture and how that affects our political decisions (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  In this particular situation Santorum could not admit to possible voters that he obviously has some prejudice that he needs to work on in regards to people of color.  Instead he explains how he isn't a bigot because he supports African American colleges in Washington and how he didn't actually say "black people" he said, "blah," because he usually says "African American."  We need to change how we look at public assistance and people of color.  

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

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

One more microaggression I saw on my Facebook feed...

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.