Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions
“Microaggressions may
be based on socioeconomic status, disability, gender, gender expression or identify,
sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, nationality, or religion. These insults or
insensitivities may be exhibited by students or adults within the school
community” (Bui, Ogaz, Portman, & Treviño, n.d.).
When I was teaching early
childhood special education, many of my students were exposed to microaggressions
due to their age and disabilities. My
students were referred as “those kids” or “babies” by teachers and some students
from other classes and grade levels. My
students were three-, four-, five-, and six-year-olds with varying
abilities. Because my students had disabilities
that ranged from autism, Down Syndrome, deaf/blind, intellectual disability, et
al., they were thought to be baby-like, unintelligent, and retarded.
One
day, I heard a kindergarten student say, “look at the babies in that classroom.” This hurt my heart to hear my students
referred to as babies by their peers. I
knew this was a learned term for my students because the student’s teacher
would ask her class to watch out for the babies when we shared the playground
at recess. A couple days later, I noticed
two kindergarten girls watching my students coloring with sidewalk chalk during
recess. I walked over to the students
and invited them to come draw pictures with our class. When they joined us, I purposefully introduced
them to one of my five-year-old students.
I asked them, “how old are you?”
When they both responded that they were five-years-old, I said, “no way,
Kimberly is five-years-old, too.
Wow! Y’all are the same age.” When they realized that Kimberly and some of
my other students were the same age as them, my students were no longer known
as babies. They were called by their first names when the kindergarten students
passed them in halls and played with them on the playground.
Children learn by
listening, watching, and following the lead of the adults in their life. The adults include their parents,
grandparents, and teachers. You cannot
make people change but you can lead by example.
Children learn from adults, and sometimes they learn more from other
children. The two girls that joined my
class at recess time, learned that my “babies” were their same-age and had names
just like them. As they started learning
my students’ names, so did their classmates.
Reference:
Bui, T.T., Ogaz, J., Portman,
J., & Treviño, J. (n.d.). Examples
of Microaggressions in the Classroom.
Retrieved March 30, 2019 from https://www.messiah.edu/download/downloads/id/921/Microaggressions_in_the_Classroom.pdf
Donna
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading post! I am glad that your were able to turn this lesson into a teachable moment. Being a mother of a 4 year old and working in the ECE field, I learned quickly to be mindful of my facial expressions and my choice of words because the little ones are always watching. They also pick up on things really fast. Thanks again for sharing your experience!
ReplyDeleteHi Donna,
Wow, that is so sad to hear how you have experienced children being exposed to microaggressions due to their age and disabilities. I have seen that happen to my step-daughter as well and it really saddens me. I like how you approached the situation of that student that made them see that they are the same age. Great job!
Donna,
ReplyDeleteI had a similar experience with a couple of kids in my preschool class and some kids in kindergarten. The older children, too, kept referring to the preschoolers as babies because they had not yet mastered the parallel bars. They stopped once I reminded them they were once 4 years-old and pointed out how they felt when older children called them babies for not being able to do something.
I also agree that children are always listening and watching even when we do not think they are paying attention. I try to be mindful of what I am saying or doing when children are present. Do you have any suggestions how to have children be mindful of what they are saying and/or doing in the presence of their peers?
Hi Donna. WOW!! Great example. I loved it. I can relate to this. This is a powerful message that you sent. I say that because it reminds me of my son. Although he is 7 years old, he is Autistic and limited non verbal. He is starting to get to where you can understand some things that he is saying. I remember when he first started school and even going out to places, kids use to be like look at that boy rocking and when we be out, people be looking at him side eyes because he liked to wave at everybody that he saw. He even try and give people a pound. So when he began school, the teacher told the other children that his name is Malachi and every since then, they use his name and now they see the type of person he is, they love to see him coming. When we are out and he speaks to people, and they don't speak back, that just hurt me to my heart. I even get that person attention and be like, Uh, my son is speaking to you. This is a great message that you shared.
ReplyDelete