What I have Learned

Week 8 has arrived already! This has been a very busy, challenging, and quick course in this Master's program at Walden University. In our final week, we were asked to reflect on our experiences in this course. In doing so, we need to share one hope we have for working with children and families from diverse backgrounds; one goal for the field of ECE in regards to diversity, equity, and social justice; and a note to our classmates and colleagues. 

First, my hope for working with children and families in the future is to continue to learn methods and strategies to competent communication and appropriate and effective anti-bias education practices. I hope I can create a foundation for acceptance and tolerance, in which we celebrate our unique differences and learn from one another. I hope I can communicate with families of any background to make them feel equally important and included in their child's education. I hope I can make a difference in their lives by helping them to learn from bias and stereotype in a positive way, discussing and overcoming the challenges they may face. I hope I can provide an environment in which EVERY CHILD and EVERY FAMILY feels welcome, appreciated, important, and understood in every way on a daily basis. By practicing anti-bias education and competent communication, I will be able to continue to learn and grow and create such an environment for such hopes to come true. 

Secondly, my goal for the field of ECE is to promote and successfully integrate anti-bias education practices into all classrooms. Additionally, my goal for this field is that ECE will eventually provide affordable, appropriate, high-quality educational opportunities for every single child in our country. All children are entitled to such opportunities, yet so many suffer with less than suitable accommodations and environments. I hope that we can eventually create socially just environments in which all children, regardless of diverse background, have the ability to participate and learn in a high-quality learning environment, suitable to nurturing and positive development. 

Lastly, I would like to extend my gratitude to my classmates and colleagues for another successful journey coming to a close. We are finishing another chapter of this journey, with just two left to go before we complete the journey at Walden University. I cannot thank each and every one of you enough for helping me, supporting me, encouraging me, motivating and inspiring me, and challenging me to do, learn, persevere, and survive in these past eight weeks. This is a difficult time of year for me emotionally on a personal level, as well as being the "back to school" time of setting up a new year of craziness. All the while, I have found peace with working with each of you because I felt relieved to know we would always support one another and help each other through this course's challenges. I loved learning with and from each of you and hope we see each other again in our final two courses.

Best of luck one and all! Finish strong! :)