About Me

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I am a thirty one year old Montana gal. I am fiercely independent and enjoy quiet time just as much as I love to spend time with my friends and family!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Professional Hopes and Goals

I have a hope that I can convey to the children and families with which I work that my classroom environment is one that is safe, secure, nurturing, fair and just for all those who enter.  This is a hope that in creating such an environment, I will also be creating lifelong advocates with the same attitudes and beliefs of fairness, justice and equality.

One goal I would like to see for the early childhood field is that of a goal to promote greater equity in economic status for young children.

I would like to thank all of my collegues for their willingness to share what were, often times, very personal stories and experiences.  It was with this interaction and sharing of personal experiences that I was able to learn the most in this course.  THANK YOU!
I hope to see all of you in the next course!!

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Welcoming Families From Around the World

The country of origin for the family that will be joining me in my early childhood classroom are from Ladonia a tiny country on the edge of the Scandinavian Peninsula.
The five ways that I will prepare for this families arrival is to first: research their country of origin as much as possible on the Internet.  A good example of a website on Ladonia is http://www.ladonia.net/docs/about.html.

I will also set up a family orientation with this new family.  This will be a great way to introduce this family to my school and our work with all of our families.  Additionally, this will be an initial time for me to initiate information from them that is important to their specific family.

Thirdly, I will suggest that the family create and bring in a picture book of all that is important to their child.  This will not only offer the child comfort and security in their new classroom on this day but also allow me a snap shot into discussion with the family and their child.

Then, I will also invite the family to our upcoming classroom picnic geared toward all family diversity.  At this picnic, all families are asked if they would like to participate in a food exchange in which they bring in a food dish that is important and part of their family culture.  This new family would be invited to bring in a dish as well.

Lastly, I would invite the family to share any information with me that they would choose.  I would be very open and honest with them and let them know that I want to know about them and I am willing to accept and share any information that they would want to share.  This would allow them to feel comfortable to share with me if they would choose.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice and Oppression

There is one particular incident for me that I will never forget...
I was a Junior in high school, I was in American History class and we had just finished taking a test so we all had a few minutes to just sit and chat quietly until our next class.  I was at the front of the class and I was turned around to talk to the girl behind me; we will call her 'J'.  I did not normally associate with her and our circle's of friends rarely mixed but we were having a nice conversation.

Somehow, we reached the topic of religion.  Now, J, as I knew was catholic and so was her whole family.  She asked me "What religion are you?"  I responded honestly; "I believe in a hire power but I do not believe in church."  She looked me right in the eye and said "You are on crack!" and turned around and did not speak to me for the rest of your high school lives.

J's physical reaction of turning away from me, yelling at me diminished equality literally, physically; she did not allow me a chance to respond, to explain, or to justify or further clarify my beliefs.  My beliefs were not hers and therefore I was not equal to her nor, apparently, worth any more of who she was, our potential friendship or myself.

My initial feeling was that of shock!  I couldn't believe what had just transpired and her immediate, outburst of a reaction to my answer.  However, J's response only confirmed my religious beliefs.

If J would have continued the conversation rather than just cutting me off we could have actually had a conversation about why, who, what etc. that, even though she may have disagreed with me, we could have created equity and understanding.

Early Childhood Resources

  • http://nieer.org/
  • http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
  • http://www.ccw.org/
  • http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
  • http://www.childrensdefense.org/
  • http://www.dec-sped.org/
  • http://www.erikson.edu/
  • http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
  • http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
  • http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
  • http://www.highscope.org/
  • http://www.iwpr.org/index.cfm
  • http://www.naeyc.org/
  • http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
  • http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
  • http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
  • http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
  • http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
  • http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
  • http://www.nccanet.org/
  • http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
  • http://www.omep-usnc.org/
  • http://www.preknow.org/
  • http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
  • http://www.voices.org/
  • http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
  • http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php
  • http://www.zerotothree.org/
  • http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller