Who I am as a Communicator

 

 

 

In evaluating the results of the two people who took the test, I found the fact that my former coworker thought that I enjoy public speaking to be the most surprising. Actually, I despise it. I always have. It is something that I want to improve because I know that it is something that I have to do especially in the early childhood field. She has heard me speak in front of small groups several times, and she felt that I've always done well. As a result, she thought that I liked doing it. I learned that I need to improve my listening skills as well. This week's lesson taught me that others do not always see us the way that we see ourselves. We should be mindful of how others view us. I also learned that a person can tell if you're not really being attentive no matter how hard you are trying to act like you are. 

Communication

 

 

 

 

When I think about diversity, I definitely feel that it effects the way that we communicate with others. I know that I find myself communicating differently with people who are not like me. For example, I feel like I have to make sure that I speak correctly when I am around highly educated people. I generally speak correctly anyway, but I find myself making more of a conscious effort to do so when I am around certain individuals. I think  that they will misjudge me if I don't do so. Another example is how I communicate around extremely religious people. I was raised in a religious home, but I do not consider myself to be super religious. I am a Christian, but I have learned to respect people of all faiths, religions, beliefs. etc. However, I find myself trying not to say the wrong thing around people who are very religious. I often feel that those kind of people won't have the desire to be around me if I don't present myself in a certain way that is acceptable to them.

 

 

I am learning that I should be myself. It is always good to be respectful towards others, but I don't have to stop being myself. People should respect us for who we are and not for who they want us to be. I think that I can become a more effective communicator by not being ashamed of who I am. I have to love myself and trust that others will do the same. If not, that is okay. I have to find comfort in myself. As long as I'm being respectful and understanding towards others, I should be okay with that. 

Professional Hopes and Goals

 

 

One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families from diverse backgrounds is that I will be able to embrace all children and families with respect and love.

 

 

 

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is that all early childhood professionals will work diligently to overcome personal biases in an effort to fully embrace children and families from diverse backgrounds.

 

 

 

I would like to sincerely thank all of my colleagues for the discussion posts, responses, and blog assignments. I have learned so much from all of you in regards to the issues of diversity, equity, and social justice. I think we all desire to positively change the early childhood field so that all children and families are treated equally. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of you through the stories that you have shared. We all have a story to tell. I wish you all continued success throughout your educational and professional journeys. Be blessed!

Welcoming Families From Around the World

Nicaragua is a country in Central America. It has coastlines on both the Caribbean Sea, in the east, and the North Pacific Ocean, in the west, and has Costa Rica to the southeast and Honduras to the northwest.
Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America with an area of 130,373 km² and contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua (Lake Nicaragua) or Cocibolca.

There are about 5.6 million Nicaragüenses in Nicaragua. The majority of the population is mestizo and white. Nicaraguan culture has strong folklore, music and religious traditions, deeply influenced by European culture but enriched with Amerindian sounds and flavors. The main language is Spanish, which is spoken by about 90% of the population.

I would do the following things in preparation for my new Nicaraguan student:

1) I would familiarize myself with the Spanish language in an effort to communicate with my student and the family.

2) I would ask the family to tell me about their family culture so that I can relate to the child.

3) I would familiarize myself with traditions in the Nicaraguan culture.

4) I would have pictures of things in the Nicaraguan culture displayed in the classroom.

5) I would give the student the opportunity to tell me about himself/herself.


I would hope that these preparations would give me the opportunity to get to know the child as well as become familiarized with his or her culture. Becoming familiarized with the culture and getting to know the child will help me to better serve the child and his or her family. Becoming familiar with the language will help me be able to communicate with the child and the family. I would hope that these preparations would be helpful in educating and serving the child and the family.

Resource

 

www.wikitravel.org

When I think about bias, prejudice, and oppression, I think about one of my favorite movies, A Time to Kill. This movie was filmed here in my hometown, Canton, MS. The character Carl Lee Hailey, played by Samuel L. Jackson, experienced bias, prejudice , and oppression. He killed to two men who raped his young daughter. However, he was Black, and they were White. There was no way that he was going to receive a fair trial in MS. At the end of the movie, Hailey's attorney, Jake Brigance, came to visit him at the jail. He basically told Carl Lee Hailey that he didn't have anymore to offer. He felt that they were going to lose the case. After talking with Hailey, Brigance gave a great closing argument the following day. He told the story of how the little girl was raped. There wasn't a dry eye in the courtroom. He ended by telling the jurors to imagine that the little girl was White. As a result, carl Lee Hailey was acquitted.

I was eleven years old when this movie was released. I remember going to the watch the movie being filmed almost every night. It was a big time for my hometown. However, I really didn't know what the movie was about. Therefore, I was stunned when I went to see it at the movies. At that moment, I felt that the color of my skin would make my life harder. I was young, but I left the theater feeling as though I was not good enough. Now that I am an adult with children of my own, I realize that I am not inferior. When I became more educated and knowledgeable, my mindset changed. I'm grateful for growth. A Time to Kill is still one of my favorite movies.

 

 

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

 

 

 

While visiting with my uncle from Florida this weekend, he told me a story about his days of working as a mechanic. My uncle was a skilled worker who had been highly trained to do his job. However, he was often looked down on because he was black. The other men who were all white would often tell him to pick up heavy boxes or fix different things around the shop. They never took the time to find out what his job title was or what his job description entailed. They simply ordered him to do these things because they assumed that he was incapable of doing their job because he was black. Of course, they never said that they were asking him to move heavy boxes because he was black, One day the manager called a meeting and informed the other employees that my uncle was a skilled worker just like everyone else. He said that he never had anymore problems after that day.  I wasn't really shocked by the story that my uncle told me, but I was thankful that his boss cared enough to address the issue. Sometimes people are guilty of doing and saying harmful things because they are  unaware that they are doing and saying those things.

 

The observations this week helped me to realize that we are all capable of having certain biases and prejudices against others. We have to make a conscious effort to overcome these biases and prejudices so that we are treating al people with dignity and respect. Everyone wants to be loved and accepted. I know that I am going to do a better job of being respectful towards other people. It's something that I try to do anyway, but this week's discussion makes me want to do it even more!

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

 

 

The answers that I received about culture included elements such as religion, race, food, clothes, beliefs, and language. These are all things that we have been discussing and learning about.

 

 

Some of the things that were omitted in the answers that I received were family expectations and rules, our way of thinking, goals, gender and child roles, health care, and work.

 

 

After studying diversity and culture and asking people about their perspectives, I think that I have a better understanding. I realized that culture and diversity encompasses way more than just the things on the surface. Just about everything we do is based on our culture and diversity. I am now more conscious about my culture, and I realize that my culture has made me who I am. I have never thought much about how culture affected me before now.