Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

             I can remember being out a couple of years ago with some friends and other associates. We were at a steak restaurant having dinner. One of my friends had a problem with her steak. I suggested that she tell the waitress so she could get her another steak. The waitress came over and she explained that she wanted her steak medium rare. The waitress apologized and took the steak back to the kitchen. I remember some of our friends staring at her like she had done something wrong. The waitress returned with another steak. This steak was pink all the way through. My friend said, "I can't eat this either. " I called the waitress back, and complained about this steak. The waitress roiled her and snatched the plate off the table. As she was walking away; I heard her say, "Black people is always trying not to pay their damn ticket!" The manager came over and I told him what she had said as she was walking off. He laughed as I was being funny, and said, "She is such a jokester!" I was very upset, and told him that I didn't see anything funny, and I wanted an apology from her, because I considered that a racist remark. The manager made her apologize, and I called their main headquarters and complained.
            First of all, I didn't know what the word microaggressions were until I saw the video this week. I see that microaggressions comes in all types of ways. This week's lesson has taught me to think before you speak. They say words cant hurt, but microaggressions can.  We should stop being prejudice, stop discriminating each other, and stereotyping one another. It is safe to ask, than assume. We all know that no one person is the same; we should embrace everyone.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Three people I talked to about their definition of culture and diversity. One person that believes in some ways  culturally different from me.

Family Member- Patricia R.-My definition of cultural is the way we stick to family rituals. The color of my skin. The beliefs that my family believe in, and our values. Our body language, the way we talk and present ourselves. Diversity is a typical ethnicity; being able to adapt to your surrounding, but don't change your identity.
Nail Tech- Tim N.- I am from China. I am a Chinese. Cultural means family. It's what we value like homes, statues, and Chinese rituals. Diversity is just being different.
Acquaintance-Rodney C. - Culture is our family history. It is sentimental things passed down through different generations. It's the way we perceive life. Most of all is the way we value family.
Diversity is looking at things or people different. Nothing is the same.

Which aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied in this course are included in the answers I received- what are some examples?
In this course I have learned about the definition of culture. I believe some of the people I talked to see culture the same way in some aspect. The book states that when we hear the word culture; we think about surface culture and deep culture and how certain groups of people live. For example, The Chinese believe that everyone should be under one roof. The live in packs in one house. The African American is a group that is related strongly to their ethnicity.

Which aspects have been omitted-and what are some examples of such omission?
I believe that a lot of the deep culture aspects has been omitted. For example, no one that I talked to said anything about any community connection with their culture. Education, role of children and gender roles.

In what ways has thinking about the other's people's definition of culture and diversity influenced my own thinking about these topics?
I see that we all have some similarities about culture and diversity. These two topics are very broad subjects. I have learned that we respect our own beliefs and is very strongly opinionated and defensive when we speak on these subjects. After speaking to these people, I have learned to reach out and learn from other cultures, and especially dominant cultures.

My Family Culture

 

If I was told that my family and I would have to evacuate to another country where the culture is different and could only take three items; the first item that I would take would be my family's bible. The bible is made from burlap, which was passed down through many generations. Some of the pages are torn and the words are very big. This bible has gotten our family through the roughest and toughest times. My next item will be a picture of my grandmother’s mother’s mother and her family, because they were slaves. The picture reminds my family and me how close we are. The picture shows strength and love. The picture is very faded, but it states that nothing can break us down, and we can make it through anything. My last item would be a black angel. She is wearing a beige dress and her wings are spread very wide. Her eyes are like black coals. This angel reminds out family that we are always taken care of, and she is always watching the family.

I would express the meaning of these items by explaining what each item represents as a stated in my first paragraph. I would like for everyone to know that these items are the reason why our family culture is important to us. These are the items that have made our family bond stronger than life itself. If I was told that I could only keep one; it would be the family’s photograph. I would choose this item because the people in this picture have been through it all, and lost their lives for protected their families and other people as well. It was their beliefs that made them strong. It was their encouraging words that push me, built the look in their eyes in the picture, and reminds me that no one can take what I have been taught away from me.

My new insights are that I have learned from this week’s reading, that family culture is very important to everyone. It’s not the color of their skin that solely matters; it’s the way they were brought up, how they walk, how they carry themselves, body language, values, and their beliefs. I also have learned that it is okay to accept other family’s culture, cultural differences and diversity, because this is who they are. I also learned that you can learn from other cultures.

                                                                                      

When I Think Of Research

What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?
I have learned that research is a process and valuable steps are taken to make sure the research is valid. Research can be challenging, especially for me.

In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?
I can honestly say my idea of doing research is questionable. I know that research can be exciting and full of questions that will keep you curious. Once underway, experiencing knowledge and confidence build (Mac Naughton, Rolfe, & Siraj-Blatchford, 2010 pg.3).

What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?
Research design is simply a matter of planning (Mac Naughton, Rolfe, & Siraj-Blatchford, 2010 pg. 103). I have learned that you need a topic before getting started. then, you need to think about who will be in the study, where you will perform the study, what will you be collecting and most importantly; how will you analyze the information that was collected.
I learned the deigning is simply stating you have options with your study and choices that will help the process. Looking into previous topics will help with explanations and help you decide what methods to use.
In early childhood research, I learned this is also thinking about what is appropriate and dealing with options and choices as well.

What are some challenges you encountered-and in what ways did you meet them?
I encountered a lot of challenges in this class. I feel that I was lost with my discussions. I struggled with getting the process going, and following the steps. Some ways I met my challenges were with the assistance of my professor; Dr. Todd, and to be honest, research is still a struggle for me.

What are some ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?
It has not changed my career. I didn't know the extent of the early childhood research. I understand the importance of it. I know that I will need to learn more and familiarize myself with the definitions, and process of starting the research.

                                                                              Reference
Mac Naughton, G., Rolfe, S. A., Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early research:
     Perspectives on theory and practice (2nd ed.). Ethics in Early Childhood Research.
     New York, N.Y. McGraw-Hill

Research Around the World

What are some of the current international research topics?
Current 2016 international research topics are the following: a. Gifted and talented: Inclusion and exclusion. b. Creativity and young children: Wondering, exploring, discovering, learning. c. Connecting with babies.

What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website.
I chose the Early Childhood Australia's Advocacy website. Early Childhood Australia's Advocacy (ECA) is the national peak body for early childhood. The debate all matters regarding children birth to eight years of age as well as the families. This includes:

Early childhood education and care (preschool, long day care, family day care, occasional care, mobile services and specialist programs)

Early years of schooling

Outside school hours care

Child and family centres, programs and support services

Inclusion support

Social and emotional wellbeing

Maternal & child health services

Parent education (birth to eight)

Other policy areas affecting children and their families

Our work is informed by our:

• commitment to children’s rights
• knowledge of early childhood development, learning and pedagogy
• commitment to an inclusive and just society
• respect for the rights and aspirations of families
• the active involvement of our members

They advocate through their state territory and state branches. They also advocate on government issues.

What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?
I saw they have an online platform called the ECA Learning Hub. The learning Hub offers great professional development resources for all professionals and educators that work with young children. This allows professionals and educators to learn new ideas and become more knowledgeable about the frameworks, standards, and research about quality practice. learning Hub also have videos, modules and webinars that are great to use as resources.
                                                                         
                                                                        Reference
                                                           
Early Childhood Australia:  Retrieved from:                                     
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Research that benefits Children and Families-Uplifting Stories

                                                           The Benefits of Music

I think this article is important to children and families, because some parents feel that music is just music. They feel that children are not getting anything from music; that's not true. Research has found that learning music facilitates learning other subjects and enhances skills that children inevitably use in other areas. "A music-rich experience for children of singing, listening and moving is really bringing a very serious benefit to children as they progress into more formal learning". Research shows that learning the do-re-mi can help children excel in ways beyond the basic ABCs (http://www.pbs.org.../education/music-arts/).

Music gears towards language development for all children. when a child is born; they learn the different sounds, and decoding of different words. When children are introduced to music, it enhances all these abilities that promotes language development. According to studies musical training gets the left side of the brain which processes language. there's a relationship between language development and music in children; it becomes the root of social competence.

Music can also increase a child's IQ. A man name Glenn Schellenberg did a study and has found that when a children were taking weekly piano and voice lessons their IQs increased. He took 12 children for nine months and gave them voice lessons; another group and gave them drama lessons to see if art had a better effect than music. Then he took a third group and didn't give them any lessons. All the children's IQ were tested before going to the first grade, and then tested before going to second grade. he found that the children that had been given the music lessons IQs had increased higher than the children that had no music lessons.

Researchers have also found that music helps children with spatial temporal skills to help them with solving math problems. Not only does music helps math skills, but helps children with art, gaming, architecture, computers and even engineering skills.

When Christopher Johnson did a study on music with children in elementary; he found that these children scored 22 percent higher in English, and 20 percent higher on math scores on standardized tests. The studies have shown that music can improve a child's learning abilities. It allows the children to learn discipline, and learning a skill.
                                                                                   Reference
The Benefits of Music Education. Music & Art. Education. Retrieved from:
       http://www.pbs.org./education/music-arts/the-benefits-of-music-education

Your Personal research Journey

The topic that I chose was; Death Understanding and fear of Death in Young Children. The reason why I chose this topic was because death and fears are common in our lives everyday. Death and facing fears can be not only not be understandable, but confused. It can be a puzzle that has a lot of missing pieces.

 Professionally, I have to face these problems with my young children and their families. I need to know how to discuss this issues without being bias. I need to know what resources I need to accomplish this task. I can honestly say these terms in the book, is very confusing. When I started the class, I had no book, and thought I was going to be lost. Now its more confusing. I constantly view the chart, but too me; its still confusing.

I know what to look for certain material from the chart. I have always felt that research was hard. I have that research anxiety. I am asking you, my colleagues to help me figure out the process of research. I need to know how to access the right information, and what to do with the information. I would like to know your resources that you think that can help me with this course. I did go to the internet and goggled other resources, and found that some of them had the same similarities. I hope that someone can assist me.