The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

When working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds, I hope to lead by example by walking the walk and talking the talk with an open heart and open mind.

 Building connections with children and their families is an essential foundation for a safe, healthy, supportive school family. 

I challenge all early childhood educators to incorporate cultural awareness curriculum as you develop and nurture an inclusive early childhood classroom. 

Remember to always use person-first language!

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and passion for diversity.  

Like children, we learn best from our peers!

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Welcoming Families 

From Around the World

Scenario:

 I am working in an early childhood special education setting, and I just received notice that a little girl, Antonia, will be joining my class. Antonia and her family just recently emigrated to the United States from Italy.  I need to prepare myself and my classroom, so I am culturally responsive when I welcome Antonia and her family to our school family.

Prior to meeting Antonia and her family, I will need to research the surface culture of Italy.  This includes the language, food, dress, flag, arts, and holidays.  As I research the surface, I explore deeper into the Italian culture.  As I explore, I will attempt to acquire more insightful understanding of the family and educational values, belief systems, social and cultural norms, etiquette and views on child rearing.  Since Italy consists of 20 regions, I will attempt to research the city and region in which the family is relocating from.

With a foundational understanding of the Italian culture, I will invite Antonia and her family to visit the classroom after hours.  This will allow Antonia and her family to freely explore the campus and classroom at their pace, freely ask questions, and conference with me about their daughter with little to no distractions.  During this conference, I would inquire about their daughter’s disabilities, skills, strengths, likes and dislikes, and needs – medically, physically, educationally, and socially.  As I learn more about Antonia, I will survey the parents about what their wishes, desires, and goals are for Antonia – educational, social, and lifelong.  Throughout this visit, I will attempt to learn more about their customs, beliefs, language, desire of parental involvement, and how I can be of service to Antonia and the family as they transition to their new home.  At the conclusion of the visit, pictures of Antonia and her family will be taken with the classroom digital camera. 

With knowledge acquired during the after-hours visit and conference with the family, visual supports will be made to support Antonia.  Boardmaker® symbols will be printed and labelled in both English and Italian.  An individual classroom schedule labelled in both English and Italian will be printed on two file folders; one for Antonia to reference during the school day and the other for her family to take home.  Name cards with Antonia’s picture and name will be added to the class attendance board, Antonia’s new cubby and coat hook, on a carpet square, on a group table, et al.   The picture of Antonia with her family will be added to the classroom Friends and Family Board and the classroom family books located in both the literacy center and safe place.  The multilingual classroom picture labels will have Italian added to them.

Prior to the conclusion of the after-hours meeting, Antonia and her family were invited to visit the campus and classroom during a regular school day.  This will allow Antonia and her family to meet the school staff, the classroom paraprofessionals, Antonia’s new classmates, and see the classroom in action.  Seeing the classroom in action will allow Antonia and her family get a feel for the classroom structure and routines.  This will hopefully ease any anxiety and assist with a smooth transition into the classroom.  Throughout the visit, my assistants and I will observe the interactions of Antonia and her new classmates and Antonia’s ability to navigate the physical environment of the classroom.  After the visit, my assistants and I will meet after school hours to make any adjustments and tweaks to the environment to meet Antonia’s needs.

After a week or two of adjusting to the classroom and building a connection with both Antonia and her family, an open house will be scheduled.  A simple gathering will be scheduled on a week night or Saturday for the students and their families.  Families will be invited and encouraged to bring a traditional dish or dessert to share, a fun parent-child activity will be facilitated by myself and assistants.  The children will be invited play in the classroom learning centers under the supervision of the assistants and volunteer early childhood students from the local university.  Meanwhile the parents and I will have an informal meeting and social gathering.  This open house event will not only allow the families to explore the campus, the classroom, observe their children socially interacting and developing friendships with their classmates, it will be an opportunity for the parents to meet and connect with each other.

 

Throughout the process of researching, meeting, surveying, observing, and connecting with Antonia and her family, our classroom family expanded, and the transition was hopefully a smooth transition for not only Antonia, her family, the children in the class, my assistants, and myself.  Opening the school after hours and on a non-school day to all the children and their families is one step towards developing a warm, safe, welcoming school family and support system. 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Over the past couple weeks, we have shared our experiences with bias, microaggressions, prejudice both personally and professionally.  Yesterday, I mentioned to my husband that I was challenged with sharing another personal story of experiencing microaggressions, prejudice, and bias.  I have already shared about my brother and his husband, my students with special needs, my mother’s medical disabilities, and my experience with sexism as a military police officer and first responder.  My husband then disclosed an experience he had this past week with me.  And I would like to share it with you.

On page 31 in the Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves is the “My Social Identities Portrait” chart (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  The first column lists the social identities for the groups defined as the norm who are the recipients of social advantages.  The norm is tall white, European American, English-speaking Christian heterosexual men between the ages of 20-60 years. These men are typically highly literate with a college degree and married with 1-3 biological children.  This describes my husband perfectly.  He is 6’4”, white, Christian, speaks English, has a bachelor’s degree and loves to read.  We have been married for over 26 years and have two biological sons.  And, as of today, he is 48 years old.  He can pretty much check off every box on that chart on page 31.

He has been a police officer for more than 24 years; the last five years, he has been serving as an investigator/detective in the major crimes – crimes against people unit. The other day, he knocked on the door looking for a suspect in a case.  When the suspect’s mother opened the door, he introduced himself as Detective Holt with the police department and could he please speak with the person of interest.  The mother immediately informed him that her daughter no longer lived at that residence.  After a few minutes of conversation, the mother shared that her daughter was actually in the family room watching television.  Out of curiosity, he asked her why she initially said that her daughter no longer lived with her.  She said, “I don’t trust white people knocking on my door.”  When she went to retrieve her daughter, her husband just shook his head and “my people, my people.”  

My husband’s experience is an example of prejudice and discrimination.  Prejudice is “an attitude, opinion, or feeling formed without adequate prior knowledge, thought, or reason” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  The mother in this story had prejudged my husband based on his skin color.  Not only have I had the experience of witnessing my husband on duty, but I have spoken with people that has encountered him on traffic stops.  In fact, when I discovered that he had stopped my predecessor for speeding and expired registration, I apologized to her.  She quickly informed me that she deserved the ticket for speeding and that my husband was very polite and respectful throughout the traffic stop.  She said that most police officers are not as polite and helpful, especially when you are in the wrong.  My husband has typically been described as polite, thoughtful, and respectful for all on and off duty.  What he encountered this week, was not the first time for him. It may not be the last.

My husband, along with other police officers, have a tough job as the protect and serve.  And in some ways law enforcement is similar to education.  Some days are rewarding, constructive, and worthwhile, while other days can very mentally, emotionally, and physically stressful and draining.  

Sadly, prejudice and discrimination based on skin color, sex, age, religion, ability, and individual differences occurs everyday across our nation.  We cannot make people change but we can lead by example.  One way to lead by example is by developing safe, inclusive school families within the early education programs and classroom where we work.

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).