Thursday, May 23, 2013

Observing Communication

Provide an account of your observation.
The place is my son’s dining room. I, my son, my daughter and my grandson Adonis are all siting around the table having a casual conversation. Adonis is drawing on some paper and my son and my daughter are playing a game on their iPhones. I too had my phone and was inquiring about the game and how I could get it on my phone. Adonis asked if he could play “Angry Birds” on my phone and I said, “Adonis, I’m using my phone and he said ok.” Adonis said Tee Tee, that’s my daughter his aunt he calls her Tee Tee. “Can I use your phone, she said no.” Adonis then asked his dad the same question.
Conversation;
Adonis: Dad can I use your phone?
Dad: Donnie I’m using my phone.
Adonis: Dad can I use your phone?
Dad: Donnie I said I was using my phone.
Adonis is now a little anxious to get his dads phone and Adonis began to yell, “DAD CAN I USE YOUR PHONE” (repeating and with much anxiety) Dad began to yell back. “ADONIS, I notice now that Donnie is now Adonis and he says in a loud voice. “ADONIS I SAID I WAS USING MY PHONE AND YOU CAN SEE IT WHEN I’M DONE.” Adonis seen to understand then that he needed to wait until his dad was done with his game and then he could use the phone. Adonis said ok and that was the end of the conversation.
Describe what you noticed and learned.
What I noticed is that my son never lifted his head up to look at Adonis and Adonis never lifted his head either. They had a conversation without looking at each other. The conversation was interesting because I always observed Adonis and to see him interacting with his dad like that let me know that they communicate with each other.
Another thing I noticed is that Adonis kept asking for the phone until his dad yelled at him. Adonis is hyper and brilliant. He holds conversation like a ten year old and he is five. I did notice that the yelling was harmless but authoritive, because when his dad yelled at him he stops asking and patiently wait for his did to give him the phone. No matter how many times he asked for the phone he realized that he was not going to get it until his dad was done
My connections between what I observed and the effective communication strategies presented in this week’s learning resources. What could have been done to make the communication more affirming and effective?
I visit my son’s home almost every day. What I connected with is that they are comfortable with the way they do things in their household and I would be out of place as a visitor to interfere with the way they communicate. My place as a visitor was to sit and observe, but as a parent and an early childhood professional I felt what I said was in respect to Adonis and to my son.
Share your thoughts with regard to how the communication interactions you observed may have affected the child's feelings and/or any influences it may have had on the child's sense of self-worth.
I know that Adonis takes medication to help with his sometimes violent behavior me and Adonis have our own way of communicating. I don’t mind if they forget to bring his medication when he comes to spend the night. I am well equipped with the knowledge and skills to properly address his behavior and keep him focused. Adonis is an excellent five year old (from a professional point of view) however; when Adonis is in school he has good/bad days. For the most part on days his parents don’t give him his medication before he goes to school, he’s going to have a bad day. It has been proven every time they forget. His teachers understand and usually call his parents or put Adonis in an area like in the Ms. Castillo’s mentioned in the video we watched last week about family child care homes.
Offer insights on how the adult-child communication you observed this week compares to the ways in which you communicate with the children. What have you learned about yourself this week with respect to how well you talk with and listen to young children? In what ways could you improve?
I did not have a conversation with a child this week that I could relate to this week’s readings. When I think about the critical issues in early childhood education I felt that the way Adonis behaves at home is affecting how he behaves in school. I get a verbal report from his parents when I visit and seeing how things are at home I can see why he behave inappropriately at school when a teachers says he yelled a another student or to a teacher.
I would have not yelled at Adonis at all. I would have asked him in a lower toned voice to wait until I was done using the phone and he could use it and that if he did not stop asking after I had explained to him that he could use it when I was done that he would not get the phone at all. I believe that children respond to yelling with fear although Adonis is use to his dad’s disciplinary ways, Adonis has a mental disability that cause him to have with anger if he does not get his way.
“In child-centered pedagogy, power is conceptualized as a negative force held by particular groups of persons, like teachers, and used to constrain the actions of individuals such as students (Usher and Edwards, 1994). Agency, therefore, is freedom from the authority of others to be able to make rational choices and act consciously in the world (Walkerdine, 1990). By sharing authority with students, child-centered educators free children to become determiners of their own actions. Child-centered educators share authority with children in the learning process so that children become self-regulating and self-determining individuals (ibid.).”
I have witnessed this behavior and I did not interfere with the disciplinary response he received as a result of his behavior at times, even I felt bad and thought it was inappropriate because I’m grandma. His parents know how to treat his disability. I communicate with Adonis openly. This helps me to focus on when and what his reactions will be when things don’t go his way. I will tell his dad not to yell at him especially when I’m present, because I know that children respond better to softer calmer voices and the message is still clear.



References
Castillo, A. (2010) Welcome to an anti-bias learning community. [Media] Laureate Education
Inc. Walden University http://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal
Yelland, Nicola. (2005) Critical Issues in Early Childhood Education. McGraw-Hill Professional
Publishing. (p 100). http://site.ebrary.com/lib/waldenu/Doc?id=10175188&ppg=115
Silin, J. G. (2005 and 2008). Who can speak? Silence, voice and pedagogy. In: Yelland, N.
(Ed.) Critical issues in early childhood education. (p 81). Berkshire, Great Britain: McGraw-Hill
Education. Retrieved from:
http://site.ebrary.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/lib/waldenu/docDetail.action?docID=10175188

Saturday, May 18, 2013

“Creating an Anti-bias Learning Community”

Imagine that you want to open your own Family Child Care Home. Reflect on what your setting would look like, what elements you think you might want to include and for what reasons, and the various ways that you will strive to ensure that every child and family feels welcome and respected.
“The environment rich in anti-bias materials invite exploration and discovery and supports children’s play and conversation in both emergent and planned activities.” (Derma-Sparks & Edwards, 2010)
A family child care home that I feel would welcome children and their families would be very similar to Ms. Castillo’s home. The entrance would have a warm and friendly atmosphere that when you walk into my home there will be a place for children’s special belongings like a place to put their coats in the winter months and where parents can pick-up information for students.
The looks around the rooms: “anyone who enters your classroom can tell immediately who is in your program at that time.” (Derma-Sparks, 2010) The will be pictures of the children in my program and pictures of each child’s family. There will be a welcome to our school sign posted with bright welcoming colors and my name in many different languages. Ms. Castillo has some wonder rooms in her home and it gave me a lot of ideas to use when setting up my family child care home.
I would have many rooms for learning and fun. Anti- bias materials are important for all the rooms because it teaches children that anti-biases are present everywhere. The reading rooms will have shelves filled with books that teach children about children and their relationships with other children and other people. The play room will be filled with toys and books that represent children and families. The area for curriculum activities will represent people that have made a different in the lives of children and have made a mark on the world. All the materials will be appropriate for the classroom and will be centered on the curriculum for that room.
I would like to include in my family child care home, picture that display working families and pictures that demonstrate the community in which they live and where other children like them live too. There will be an area for rest and an area for play: An area for learning an area to start the day. Pictures of children learning in the classroom and displaying diversity a message of what happens in everyday life around the world. It is important that children learn about other cultures and how children learn and play, and how they interact with other and the many different ways that children live in other cultures.
“The first step in creating an ideal caring learning environment in classrooms and schools is to pose the following question to the policy-makers, teachers, leaders and parents of the school community: Are you aware that the daily culture of the school is the primary factor that supports students’ development and academic learning?” (Gibbs, 2013)











Wednesday, May 8, 2013

FIVE WAYS TO ANALYZE CLASSROOMS FOR AN ANTI-BIAS APPROACH

ONE: EVERYDAY AND EVERYWHERE

You may feel overwhelmed when you first begin to think about bias and anti-bias. You may suddenly begin to see bias everywhere - in the newspaper, on the television, or on the bus on your way to work. You may be saddened by the subtle, unspoken messages in children's books or games.

As you struggle with the issues and images, you may also become aware of the wonder of people around you. You may make new friends from diverse cultures. You may explore your own history or the history of those around you. You may find leaders today who are like you or very unlike you.

Although you now recognize that both bias and the possibility of anti-bias exists, you may not know just what to do. But at least you know that something must be done. This is the most important step in your journey; you have recognized that choices matter and that you can make choices that support both you and the children and families you serve.

For children, remember that it is what you make available to them (not what is in the closet), that will affect their growth today. We don't know which day is the most important in a child's life. As a result, anti-bias concepts must be a continuous part of the curriculum rather than being presented as occasional "scheduled" activities. This doesn't mean that everything related to every issue of bias is displayed everyday. Rather, messages about bias and anti-bias are everywhere, everyday. One child may remember only the books you have, another only the music you play. Make a conscious decision to include some anti-bias concept somewhere, everyday.


TWO: MIRRORS TO SELF-ESTEEM

All children need positive self-esteem. Some, however, see positive messages everywhere without trying. Others never see themselves positively in the world around them. Base your selection of materials on the context of the children you serve. If positive images abound for your children, begin to think about how to bring diversity and balance into the classroom. If society's images are not very positive for your children, make your classroom a safe island in a hostile world.


THREE: WINDOWS TO DIVERSITY AND BALANCE

All children experience diversity because our world is diverse. The key question is whether this diversity is perceived as positive or negative. Think about who the "other" is as you work toward opening windows to diversity and balance.

If your classroom is naturally diverse racially and culturally, for example, you will not have to worry about providing opportunities for interactions between diverse groups of children. You will focus instead on how to promote positive interactions between the children.

If your classroom has little diversity, build first on the differences that are there. Start with boys and girls, for example. As you help children recognize and respect the diversity of others, pay careful attention to how this "other" is generally perceived by the community you serve. The balance of diversity you bring into this classroom is what will be different, based on the context of the children who are there.

Balance, on the other hand, doesn't just mean 50/50. It means evaluating the context of the children in your classrooms and the larger society. Some children need more positive images of themselves in your classroom because such images can't be found in their community. Others need positive images of people who are different from them because the community already includes images like your children, but not of other people.

Take care not to degrade someone you think is not present. We may not know which child is adopted, or whose parent is unemployed. Listen to the children. Answer their spoken questions. Also try to answer unspoken questions about diversity that may not be so obvious. Help your children be sensitive to others, and to not be afraid for themselves.


FOUR: CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE, HISTORICALLY ACCURATE, AND NON-STEREOTYPICAL

It is impossible for all anti-bias classrooms to look the same! Each classroom serves different children with different families and different staff in different communities. Programs and families should take time to make conscious decisions about how they look and act in these actual contexts.

If your classroom or community is not diverse, or if you don't have personal experience with diversity, make sure any image of diversity you bring is accurate and non-stereotypical. Portraying Native Americans in traditional costumes tells children little about Native Americans today and can foster stereotypes. Providing accurate images may mean more work for you, but it is important because of the subtle messages that children will receive.

Be open to hearing other points of view. Reflecting on your own childhood, and on the lessons you learned, may help you imagine how a message is perceived by a child today. Families and staff must work together to sort through these issues.


FIVE: CRITICAL THINKING AND ACTIVISM

Child care professionals cannot protect children from the realities of life. We can, however, build the child's strengths. Children can develop skills to evaluate our world for respect and diversity. Talking about a book that is biased can help children think about why it is biased, and what they might do about it.

Caring for others and ourselves requires attention from all of us. Help the children and families in your program develop the skills needed to work toward anti-bias. Learning how to do this in the child care setting helps the future leaders and workers of our world know how to do it in their homes, work and communities.


REFERENCES

Council on Interracial Books for Children. (1980). *Guidelines for selecting bias-free textbooks and storybooks*. New York: Author.

Derman-Sparks, L., & the A.B.C. Task Force (1989). *Anti-bias curriculum: Tools for empowering young children*. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

The images of "mirrors and windows" is based on unpublished materials from Emily Style of the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, Project S.E.E.D. (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity).