Observing Communication

I used a couple of places for this assignment. While reading this week's resources I was pretty sure I would see that kind of behavior in our classrooms. I was not disappointed. Then I spent some time in our compound play area to observe people who are not specially trained early childhood communicators.

I slipped into a Primary classroom (3-6 years) about a half hour before going home time. The children were finishing a snack and a few had chosen some work. The lead teacher was sharpening pencils at different stations in the classroom and there were two assistants in the class.

A student took a geometric shape tracing work and sat at a table. The teacher(Katy) quietly took her work and sat across from the student. When the child looked up she smiled. The student with a smile and sigh went back to her work. As she sharpened pencils Katy looked around the room making eye contact when possible and adding a smile or nod. The room was peaceful and inclusive. The children moved about with focus and interest. One came over to ask what I was doing.

Katy modeled proper form by standing, pushing in her chair and returning her work to the shelf. A child approached her with an empty plate.

Katy:  "Are you finished your snack?"

 The student seemed a little hesitant, so Katy added,

 "Would you like some more. You go get some more then."

Katy was sensitive to the body language and facial expression especially important as English was not the student's first language and we are just a couple of weeks into the semester (Kovach & Da Ros-Voseles, 2011). This unassuming and matter-of-factness will aid the child in time to refill her own plate until she is satisfied.

An assistant gently touches a student's shoulder to suggest washing his hands before going to do some work. Katy gently touched a child's hand to bring her back to the shelf and show her how to properly take an entire work to the table. She got down to her level and look her in the face and used routine language that the child is beginning to understand and follow (Rainer Dangel & Durden, 2010).

Katy quietly went around the room, spoke to each child by name and informed them that they would have Circle in a few minutes if they wished to tidy up. This respect of calling a child by name and informing them of what is coming next, helps the child feel included and know she/he is respected by the teacher  (Kovach & Da Ros-Voseles, 2011).

In the Circle, Katy asked each child to raise his/her hand to tell her one thing they had done today. A couple had words which she extended but more used sign language. One child showed her bringing his two pincer grasps together.

Katy: Were you connecting something?

child nods

Katy: Can you show me?

The child goes to the beading work.

Katy: Did you put beads on a string?

Student nods with a smile.

Katy: Did you make a necklace?

Child: Yes, a necklace.

Katy: Thank you for sharing.

Katy showed respect and that she valued each contribution, no matter the amount of verbal language that was used. Each was seen as a valuable communication.

I have just come in from our courtyard, where caregivers are pushing children who are sitting by themselves, perhaps between 6 and 9 months. The children are facing away from them. One continued a phone call for the time I was there, not engaging with the child. Another was in conversation with a friend without acknowledging the child. Kovach and Da Ros-Voseles maintain that if this kind of ignoring happens often enough the child's self worth is in jeopardy  (Kovach & Da Ros-Voseles, 2011). Another practice is speaking to the child in playful sounds rather than engaging children in actual language. Our articles clearly maintained that the child needs to be a part of the world he has come in to (Kovach & Da Ros-Voseles, 2011).

Then I see my friend Sam with five children around him, six and seven year olds. They are close, one sitting quite comfortably on his shoulders, another between his legs on the step in front and the others at his side.There is a gentle camaraderie with different of the children bringing up a topic and Sam closely following and responding. He is sharing power, allowing space for the children to initiate the conversation; making eye contact; actively participating and each child knew he chose to be there (Rainer Dangel & Durden, 2010). Children are eager to spend time with children who genuinely want to listen and show an interest (Stephenson, 2009). Sam is his Anglicized name, he is Chinese who do not usually engage children like this. He and his wife present seminars on Emotional Intelligence. I wonder if this is the reason for this behavior that seems to go against the norm.

This group of children around Sam, one is his own daughter, are confident and able to hold their own in a conversation. They expect to be included and speak to the topic clearly and interestingly. They know they have a voice and have come to believe that what they think and feel is worth the listening.

My belief in engaging even infants in communication has been strengthened this week. Sometimes however, I forget to go slow (Stephenson, 2009) and wait to 'hear' the child's response.I believe that respect breeds respect and builds confidence and security. Kovach and Da Ros-Vaseles (2011) state that our attitude and expectations affect the way we speak to children. I know this to be true but need to be reminded that the child is the best expert on what he needs for his immediate development.

References

Kovach, B., & Da Ros-Voseles, D. (2011). Communicating with babies. YC: Young Children,

66(2), 48-50. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database. http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=60001533&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Rainer Dangel, J., & Durden, T. R. (2010). The nature of teacher talk during small group

activities. YC: Young Children, 65(1), 74-81. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database. http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=47964033&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Stephenson, A. (2009). Conversations with a 2-year-old. YC: Young Children, 64(2), 90-95.

Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database. http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=37131016&site=ehost-live&scope=site

 

CREATING AFFIRMING ENVIRONMENTS

       As I look out the window of my 30th floor apartment at highways, jam-packed with vehicles sided with more towering cement with windows and make-shift dwellings tucked in, with a play area where the children are only to play on the paved and tiled spaces with clear 'Stay off the grass' signs, the stuff of this picture seems far away.. I can, however, provide the multinational, multi ethnic, 'multi-differing' incomes, multi-lingual and probably multi physical, emotional and cognitive strengths population. So other than the back yard, I am ready to go.

       To prepare my apartment (YIKES), I would start by ensuring the children who are planning to  attend are represented (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010). If possible, I would obtain pictures  of their immediate and extended families. Pictures of their countries  and animals for the cultural wall. I like the idea of having the children bring in artifacts of how they and/or their parents would like to represent their background (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010). Perhaps I would open the class by representing my heritage. Then in the following months invite  families to work together to build a representative table.  The work areas could  include matching of different occupations or tools specific to some of the countries. Also it would be good if the families could share toys specific to their countries. Some of my families use necklaces and bracelets as teething rings, for example,  that the child continues to wear until older. These sorts of things could be included .

     I would have dolls that represented different shades of skin and persona dolls that could also represent  differences that are not yet in our student body (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010). I would ask the families about household tools that are specific to their family and look to replicate them in the class. To represent the different cultures, I would take a month to use recipes from each area for snacks and lunch. Because the school is in my home, I can invite  parents in to help prepare the food, if possible.

     I would make a  of a collection of music specific to the families represented and another for dances. I will have asked for some specific first language words for each child, like greetings, names or familiar instructions and have these posted in the respective areas. i.e. greetings at the door, food requests in the kitchen, etc. I would request books in the child's mother tongue and invite members of the family to share them when they can in Circle. This could also be a time to teach some basic language and songs.

     Once the children are settled we would look to see who is missing. This discussion could be fostered by their taking photos while out and about or on vacation or shopping, etc. The assignment could be what kind of work do you see that you do not see in our classroom or are there people who look different than we have shown in our class. We would work together to make our school, a place they could see themselves and feel welcome.  

     Another idea that seems very doable is to contact a pre-school in their home country and have visits say every two weeks. Each school could share about their lives, share what the weather is that day, where they went on the weekend, and what they ate for lunch, for example. We would support these visits with research  and reading books.

     Because I will be in this apartment complex, we can be a part of the community events and perhaps design a few of our own. If children were included from outside our gates, it would require some sort of subsidy, perhaps partly from the tuition of the children who live here in affluent homes. This would have to be agreed upon among the parents, whatever over-seeing body I would require, and me. However, the eye-opening gains and life skills learned could break some of the 'difference' walls that now divide us.

As I come to the end of this thinking page, it seems more a possibility. I am learning that when our eyes are opened to what is around us, doors of opportunity open.

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-Bias Education. Washington, D.C.:

            National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

 
  
   

What I have Learned or am in the process of Learning

                                                               HOPE 
   
Welcoming                 Open            Accepting 

                                   Loving

     Sharing               Growing           Curious  

                                  Together...
          
                                 GIGGLING


Learning-friendly
     Color-friendly friendly
           Multi-generational-friendly
                Play-friendly  
                                          Investigation-friendly
                                 Freedom-friendly

                                 Hugging

May my world - friendships, acquantances, school - be clearly defined by these actions and attitudes.


A goal for me as an early childhood educator is to turn thoughts toward the child. The world is full of theories, rhetoric and words from high places. All of us need to stop and see it from the individual child's perspective. As we plan curriculum we think about entry requirements for Primary schools. This is a worthy goal but we need to keep an eye on how it is working for each child. I need to remind myself and those I have influence with that this is not just a soft cuddly time and the real work begins later. We must give to these infants, toddlers and young children that very best we have and not throw away these critical developmental years and hours.

To help spread the news that we are responsible now.

A brief but huge thank you for each of you in Group 1. Your blogs, posts, comments and resources have added to my understanding of diversity both for this course and in life.

I am taking the summer off. But I hope to join up with some of you later.

If not, I wish you all the best in your professional and personal endeavors - making this world a better place one little body at a time.

Start Seeing Diversity - A Song

WE ARE THE CHILDREN 'ROUND THE WORLD
(Inspired by EDUC 6357 and Louise Derman-Sparks)

(Refrain)
I am   You are    We join together
I am   You are   We join together
I am   You are    We join together
We are the Circle 'round the world.

Blond hair   Black hair   Curly hair and straight hair
Long hair, short hair and no hair at all
We are the Circle 'round the world.
Brown skin, white skin, black skin and yellow skin
All of the shades in between
Tall, short, fat, thin and medium
We are the Circle 'round the world

Refrain
    
Families, families We all have families
The place where we love and we belong
Families, families different but the same, well
We are the Circle 'round the world

Hand in hand  Step by step
Mind with mind   Heart to heart
We can build and change and we can CELEBRATE!
'Cos we are the Circle 'round the world.

Refrain

(Bridge)
No matter your language
No matter your shape
No matter the day you say your prayers

No matter your goods
No matter your bads
No matter the differences we share
We can make a Circle 'round the world.

Refrain

Have not tried this out with an audience yet, so not sure the tune works. However, it could also be a rap with refrain sung to whatever  tune makes your feet skip!

We are sharing some heady possibilities this week!  It is in the heart of the child that these can be born and brought to light.

Because they can be the circle that unites around the world.

Support and Counter

The title of this blog comes from Start Seeing Diversity: Physical Ability and Physical Characteristics (Wolpert, Laroche,Rasmussen, Committee for Boston Public Housing, & Redleaf Press, 1999 a). This is my role as an educator for young children as well as a colleague to peers. And as was the case on the video, I did not have an appropriate response.

The incident took place in the Primary class where children are between 3 and 6  years of age. I was in the room to borrow a table for a keyboard after-school class. A student asked the Primary teacher why she was so fat and I was not.

This is a topic I am senstive about  and have not come to terms with. My immediate response was, 'What look at my big bottom.' and I was thinking 'How rude. Did your parents teach you no manners what so ever!'.

However the Primary teacher said, 'There are many different kinds of people. Some have black hair like you. Some have red hair like me. Some are thin. Some are medium and some are fat. Everyone is interesting.'

Good answer! She remained calm and matter of fact (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010). Gave the child something to identify with - hair (Wolpert, Laroche,Rasmussen, Committee for Boston Public Housing, & Redleaf Press, 1999b).

As I look around our school the issue of body shape is not addressed. I live in an Asian country where tall and big people are an oddity. To many Chinese even a small or medium foreigner can seem 'fat' or their euphenism 'strong'. However as the country is becoming more affluent, especially here in the capital city, there are larger people about. Especially among children.

As teachers we have looked at this as a health issue as well as the cultural practice of feeding children even after they are full. What we are missing is finding a place for all children in our classrooms.

This incident was not followed up on. But had we, positive pictures of all sorts of pictures doing activities with which the child can identify  (Wolpert, Laroche,Rasmussen, Committee for Boston Public Housing, & Redleaf Press, 1999b). The comparisons and differences can be noted to find that all sorts of people of different sizes are part of the human family. Also, our library does not at this point have any books that deal with physical characteristics that could result in prejudicial thinking. An issue we are beginning to address. I think we can introduce the idea in staff meetings, then the teacher can see that each of her children is represented in her classroom.

This may be a good place to speak about the personna dolls ( Whitney, 2008). The teacher could have used a doll to represent a victim of prejudice due to her weight and engage the children in investigating feelings and issues of fairness. However, we are a Montessori school and this particular teacher has a problem with giving animate attributes to inanimate objects. The principal and I have discussed perhaps introducing this idea to the school as a person-removed way of sorting through issues (Laureate Education, Inc., nd a). We have put it aside temporarily knowing this teacher's feelings about it. As we continue to read and investigate the pros and cons of these dolls, this may be a good way to address the situation.

Just countering with words, I think is not enough. As Eric Hoffman points out, children need concrete information to disassemble conceptions and build new ones (Laureate Education, Inc. nd. b). Pictures, visits to the classroom and field trips introducing realities of life are a good start. Helping the child to see similarities among people whom he/she sees as different help build new and positive concepts.

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children

            and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Laureate Education, Inc (Walden University). (n.d.a). EDUC 6357. Antibias in ECE Settings - Nancy Spangler In Learning from Another’s Life Story . Baltimore, MD.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Walden University). (n.d.b). EDUC 6357. Antibias in ECE Settings - Eric Hoffman In Learning from Another’s Life Story . Baltimore, MD.

Whitney, T. (2008). Using Personna Dolls. In A. Pelo (Ed), Rethinking  Early Childhood Education (pp. 23-28). Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Rethinking Schools, Ltd. 

Wolpert, E., Laroche, R., Rasmussen, N., Committee for Boston Public Housing, & Redleaf Press (Producer). (1999a). Start seeing diversity: Physical Ability and Physical Characteristics. St. Paul. MN: Redleaf Press.

Wolpert, E., Laroche, R., Rasmussen, N., Committee for Boston Public Housing, & Redleaf Press (Producer). (1999b). Start seeing diversity: Race and Ethnicity. St. Paul. MN: Redleaf Press.