Professional Hopes and Goals

When I examine the topic of meeting diverse cultural needs in early childhood, I often compare current topics with historical issues of my parents' early childhoods as first generation Americans from Poland in the early 1930's. They recalled little of cultural barriers except that they spoke only Polish until they entered kindergarten, where they learned English. They never referred to this time as stressful, though it is quite possible that the stress they experienced in their early childhoods suppressed the memory of such. I do know that their large families provided a formidable support for them. As I work with today's children in a culturally diverse community, I am hoping that our progress in diversity studies combined with brain research discoveries equip early childhood workers, whether child care providers or preschool and elementary school teachers, to provide more support for children's development and family well being than was offered to my parents.
A goal that I would like for early childhood professionals to work towards is not only treating children and families respectfully, but to develop specific curriculum activities to equip children to prepare for and deal with anti-diversity behaviors aimed at them or someone they know. Gloria Boutte (2008) called us "naive" to believe that all we need is respect, a place where I was before this course. It is clear that as teachers and people of primary influence, we owe it to the children and families we serve to give them tools to manage the unpleasant realities of prejudice and unequal access.
Finally, I wish to thank my colleagues for the truly frank discussions about the topics of personal and institutional discrimination and microaggressions. These are painful topics to voice, but necessary for problem solving. Thank you for your professionalism in your candor.

References:
Boutte, G., (2008). Beyond the illusion of diversity: How early childhood teachers can promote social justice.Social Studies, 99(4), 165-173.

Welcoming Families from Around the World

I frequently visit Head Start programs that begin each year with new immigrant families from a variety of countries. Sometimes there is not a staff who speaks the native language that can give assistance to the staff and comfort to three years olds separated from their parents in a strange place. In the case of the children who were enrolled in the program who were from Viet Nam, a country that none of the staff were familiar with, the pre-enrollment meeting took place at the Head Start office. I might have added a few strategies to help everyone feel more comfortable, both family, child, and staff.

Home visits as parent education are typical in Head Start, however, in the the case of children from Viet Nam, I might make sure that the enrollment took place at the child's home, and with an interpreter. There are local cultural centers for most immigrant groups that could offer such a service for a new family. The children could meet the teacher on their own terms, and the teacher could gather insightful information about the child's most influential environment:

• How many people share the home, and what relationship do they have?
• Who is the power in the family, mother, father, or a grandparent?
• Do the children have responsibilities, and what are they?
• How does communication among adults and children occur?
• Do the children speak when they wish, or are they silent among adults?
• Are there toys in the house and of what kind?
• Is the family connected with a cultural support community?
• Is religious behavior practiced, and how?
• Does the family take photos? Can the school use photos? Are there photos that the child can bring to school and share? Can the teacher take photos of the children and display them in the classroom?
• Are there developmental special needs?

Broffenbrenner's bioecological model of child development indicates that the child's first and most influential is home and family (Keenan, 2009), and knowing how the family operates each day will be crucial in constructing supportive interactions in the classroom. This visit is meant to discover the deep cultural factors (Derman -Sparks & Edwards, 2010)  that influence the child.

Before the new children begin, I would announce to the class their arrival and when, and discuss with children how they can welcome the children. There is a DVD that is available to educators made by Candid Camera called The Green Kid (2003) that records the responses of young children of  the question, "What can you do to welcome this (green) child?" The answers they give brought tears to my eyes. We often forget that children are competent to come up with real and powerful solutions to their everyday challenges.

In addition to the home visit strategy, all of the children should have regular activities that share family structure, values, and activities, as well as the more topical cultural artifacts of foods, music, and clothing. The new child from Viet Nam may begin to bring in items from home to show to others, and to demonstrate their likenesses and differences.

Because so much cultural development occurs through language (Derman-Sparks, Edwards, 2010), making the language of the Vietnamese children visible in some way in the classroom will  create community in the class, reducing stress that can hinder learning. Consulting with parents during the home visit, or using library materials to learn a few words in the home language will be on-going.

Most child care and Head Start programs are required to have an open door policy for parents, but not all fulfill the requirement with relish. I would invite the child's parents to attend, interact, share when able, or just observe. Their presence to other children make Vietnamese people regular particpants in the program.

• Home visit
• Ask the children
• Plan specific classroom activities that share family culture
• Learn some Vietnamese words, and display them
• Invite families to visit the classroom

All of these efforts would be made for any child entering the program, whenever possible. A child develops in an environment of relationships (NCCDC, 2004 ), and establishing relationships, probably the most difficult task in all of life, is the most effective way to prepare these Vietnamese children, and all children for success.

References:
Candid Camera. (2003) The Green Kid Tolerance Project. Retrieved from http://www.candidcamera.com/cc6/green_kids.html

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).


Keenan, T., & Evans, S. (2009). Theories of development. In An introduction to child development. (pp.35-43). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2004) Young children develop in an environment of relationships. Working Paper No. 1. Retrieved from http://www.developingchild.net

Much of my work with child care providers who care for children with special needs gives me experience with able-ism. Many child care programs simply do not enroll children with special needs because of the perceived added expense of adequately meeting those needs. Some programs just don't know any better. I was aghast to learn from the Pastor of the church that I attend, where there is also a child care program, that the Child Care Director turned a child away from the center whose parents were new members to the church. He told me that because the child used a wheel chair, he was not able to descend to the lower level where his preschool class would be, as the building was not equipped with an elevator. They turned him away without consulting with the resident inclusion expert, me. He lamented the potential loss of worshippers, and I lamented the injustice done to that child who should have been included in our program, and the heartbreak it must have caused his parents. Quite easily, and with no added expense except effort and about two hours of paid moving time, the preschool class from downstairs could have been switched with the school age classroom on the main floor. The preschool children could have been served on the main floor, where a wheelchair could enter. My church administration did not think to make such a simple modification, or even call for advice, and the child was turned away.  It was not intentional able-ism, but the lack of effort was inexcusable. I was angry with the Child Care Director, whom I held responsible for discrimination, and disappointed with the Pastor who did not make more of an effort to understand and include this child and family. I hurt for the family. All of the adults in the church administration, as well as the child care staff, needed to re-evaluate their enrollment practices for institutional discrimination against people with disabilities. I am relieved to report, however, that our Sunday School leaders accept all who attend, and we have more than one child whose behavior is a result of autism. They may not always have answers, but they welcome all Sunday School kids and do their best to make a loving community for an hour or two each week. I am also happy to report that we have hired a new Child Care Director.