Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Week 3 is upon us! For this week, we needed to examine and analyze the perspective on diversity and culture of others, as well as our own. For this assignment, I contacted several of my colleagues in my building to share their thoughts on this matter and will share their responses below, as well as my own analysis of the findings.

I had asked each of my colleagues to provide their definition  of culture and diversity, the similarities and differences between the two concepts, and why are these concepts important to education. Here are the responses I received:

• Our building ELL teacher:
• "Culture is a community of people, families who share common experiences
  that shape the way they understand the world. Culture is a strong part
  of people's lives. It influences their views, values, their hopes,
  worries and fears. It is no wonder many common cultures tend to stick
  together because they feel comfortable and share a commonality.
  Diversity to me refers to celebrating the many diverse cultures and/or
  communities. In order for people to commit to working on diversity,
  every person needs to feel that they will be included and important.
  Each person needs to know that their cultures is important to others.
  This is the only way I believe will bring the many different cultures
  together and unite. Learning about cultural differences can bring people
  closer together. It can show us just exactly how much we really do have
  in common. As educators, I believe we need to celebrate the many diverse
  cultures we have in our community in order to build an environment that
  feels safe for all."

• Our In Class Support Teacher (K-1): 
• "Two of my favorite things to talk about considering my trip to Africa
  where I saw it all come together. Yes, I had my opinions of each but
  while working in classrooms in Ghana and coming home to student teach, I
  was able to really see the impact both have on myself and my students.
  My personal definition of culture is that it is a way of life. Culture
  is defined by what we wear, what we eat, what we believe in, what we do
  for fun, and what we celebrate. Diversity is how cultures are different.
  It defines the uniqueness of a culture. Diversity is embracing those
  unique differences among cultures and looking at life through the eyes
  of another person. Through that we realize our similarities and our
  differences among people across the world. I feel that culture and
  diversity are important to education because learning about the world
  around us is endless. There is always something new to learn. Not only
  does it shape us academically, but culture and diversity teach us life
  lessons. They make us more appreciative of what we have and who we are.
  It makes us more appreciative of one another."

• Our building principal:
• "I believe culture is a person's background and the experiences they have
  that help to influence their character and identity. 
  Diversity is having a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures. 
  I don't know that they are the same or different.  It is more that they
  are connected because having a range of cultures and nationalities is
  what brings diversity to your school.
  
  It is important to share culture in education because it is a person's
  background, traditions, customs and way of life.  This helps us to
  understand and appreciate our differences.
  
  It is important to have diversity in education because you have that
  first-hand experience and knowledge of other cultures instead of
  vicarious learning.  It becomes more personal and therefore more
  explicit."

• Our district Reading Specialist:
• "Culture is defined as characteristics of people who are categorized together by race, religion, sexual orientation, and ethnicity.   Diversity to me is the ability for differences to coexist together, with some type of mutual understanding or acceptance present. Acceptance of different viewpoints is key. Also, diversity means inclusion of everyone and inclusion of everyone's viewpoints and perspectives. Our ability to give every child a chance to succeed in school depends upon our understanding of culture and learning styles. Effective educational practices must derive from an understanding of the ways that individuals learn. Knowing each student, especially his or her culture, is essential preparation for facilitating, structuring, and validating successful learning for all students."

• One of our Preschool Inclusion teachers: 
• "This is fun and so important to instill at such a young age! Culture is the totality of traditions, beliefs, foods, clothes and processes of a certain group of people. Diversity is the differences among the cultures, with a connotation of acceptance and respect for each.These concepts are important to education for teachers and students alike. A mutual respect among peers for each other's cultural differences, makes for an environment more conducive to learning. Teachers must be cognizant of the cultural diversities among students to fully understand certain behaviors as they occur. Actions, or lack thereof are often tied to cultural norms which are different from our own. "

Let me begin by stating I was so impressed and overwhelmed by the responses I received from each of my colleagues. They each took the time to truly consider the meaning of these concepts, as well as their importance. I feel as though we share a common view on such aspects and understand the importance it has for society, as well as for our students, in particular. We learned it's importance in class this and last week but I am glad to see it is understood and appreciated within our building by many wonderful educators and administrators, as well. As Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2010) state, "The word culture refers to how particular groups of people live," (p. 55). As you can see, we all agree with this concept. Diversity refers to the varying types of cultures we encounter in our country and in our classrooms. We must encourage and embrace these concepts within our classrooms to set a positive precedent for the children to follow in being tolerant, accepting, understanding, and willing to learn from and work together with people who are similar and different from you. 

I feel as though the professionals I discussed the concepts with this week had perfectly pieced together the puzzle of culture and diversity, discussing the important meanings of each concept, as well as the reasons why it is important in the world and in education, as we have learned in our readings. Additionally, I feel as though my own viewpoints on these topics are very similar to each of the aforementioned passages. I do not feel as though important interpretations were omitted or neglected as each response embraced the importance of being accepting and learning from one another as our culture defines us and diversity allows us to celebrate and learn from our differences. I strongly believe that hearing these responses from my trusted colleagues has solidified my own understanding, perspective, and passion about this subject. 

Until next week…

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).

My Family Culture

I am embarking on a new journey in my 6th grad class, Perspectives on Diversity and Equity. This week in class we had to post a response to a scenario, discussing key points of our responses to this scenario. The scenario is as follows:

A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of the catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country's culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.


In response to this scenario we must answer the following questions…
1. A description of the three items you would choose.
2. How you would explain to others what each of these items mean to you.
3. Your feelings if, upon arrival, you were told that you could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two things
4. Any insights you gained about yourself, your family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences in general, as a result of this exercise.



If I could only choose three items to take with me to my new home, I would choose my ring, an album of family photos, and my softball glove. The ring I am referring to is a ring my best friend bought for each of the girls in our group of friends for Christmas in High School. This ring was purchased for us as a gesture to keep us connected and strong after we discovered one of our best friends was diagnosed with Leukemia. Less than a year later, my best friend who purchased this ring suddenly passed away, shortly followed by the passing of my friend who had Leukemia, all during my senior year of high school. This ring represents my love and friendship with these two angels and without it I do not feel complete. It reminds me of happy times, good memories, love, friends, family. It ties all important things in my life together and I have not gone a day without wearing it for the past 10 years.

The second item I would choose is a photo album filled with pictures of my loved ones, including my boyfriend, my dog, my family, and my friends. This is a treasured item as I would be able to carry them all with me along with the memories to get through the tough road ahead, especially if I had lost any of them in the process of this catastrophe. The third and final item I would choose is my softball glove. The reasoning behind this is that I come from a very sports oriented family and most of my memories growing up are surrounded by this glove. I have fond memories with my dad, brother, mom, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, and grandparents. This is one of my passions and hobbies and would be a great outlet during stressful times.

If I were to be told I could only keep one of the items, I would be completely devastated. It would already be difficult to choose just three items and lose so many loved ones in such a catastrophe. If I had no other option but to keep one item only from the aforementioned list, I would choose my ring. The ring represents so many things in my life and has such a deep meaning that would keep me connected to my loved ones at all times and is something I could keep with me at all times everyday.

After completing the readings and viewings this week, I have taken the concept of culture and diversity into deep consideration. Prior to this week, I had not seriously considered something such as a dynamic culture and family culture. I had not previously taken time to consider where I fall in regards to these cultures. I have gained a better insight and understanding about the meaning of each of these cultures and where I stand within them, as well as how to promote tolerance and acceptance and understanding within early childhood for children who fall within varying cultures.

Until next time...

When I Think of Research...

Welcome back!!! :)

It has been a few weeks but we have been busy in class with research! This is our 8th and FINAL week of this course on Research Competency. It has been a busy 8 weeks but I do feel as though I have learned a great deal in regards to research simulations, studies, designs, and more.

In our final week, there are a few questions to help us reflect upon our learning and growth over the 8 weeks we have experienced in this course. The questions and my reflections are as follows:

• What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?
• "Research is conceptualized here as a systematic investigation of a topic or issue that is culturally specific, and which seeks information and/or solutions. It can begin with a question, concern, situation, or controversy," (Grieshaber, 2010, p. 179). I have come to understand the importance of research, as well as the various integral components of research and design, over the last eight weeks of this course. I was unaware at the depth of each component and the variety of issues, challenges, and concerns to consider when designing a research simulation or study. The idea of research has proven to be daunting but rewarding. It is, by far, not an easy task to complete and is something that must require a very lengthy amount of time, dedication, and effort to complete and conduct a study successfully. 

• In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?
• I think my ideas and views on research as a whole have drastically changed throughout this course. However, my ideas and understandings of the nature of doing research have changed in that I did not realize the depth of the process, design, implementation, etc. that research requires. I have come to understand that completing and conducting a research study seems more ideal to do with a team of researchers in that you can share responsibilities, ideas, planning, analyzing, etc. throughout the process. Due to the intricacy of each piece of the research puzzle, it is a very well-thought-out process that takes ample amounts of time to conduct and complete. A research study most likely could take months or years to conduct effectively to achieve appropriate results. These are just a few ideas I was unclear of or misunderstanding prior to this course.

• What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?
• The biggest piece to the puzzle of early childhood research I learned was the importance, relevance, and proper handling of the inclusion of children in a research study. The child as a participant presents an entirely new perspective, outlook, and understanding from a child's eyes in relation to your study. However, ethical concerns must be considered. I think that the ethical concerns and implications, as well as the use of variables, hypotheses, and questions within a design and study are the major components I have come to better understand and learn about. I had not previously considered some of the ethical concerns within a research study. Additionally, when designing and conducting research, I was unaware and unsure of the importance and necessity of things like variables, questions, and hypotheses yet I better understand this now. The most important piece I have come to understand is that there are SO many components to designing a research study to consider that the researcher must complete each step one at a time to ensure nothing is an oversight or forgotten. This will ensure an accurate, effective, and appropriate research study with results that can make an impact on the field of Early Childhood Education.

• What were some of the challenges you encountered - and in what ways did you meet them? 
• The idea of research was scary, overwhelming, daunting. Entering this course I was a nervous wreck. I was extremely unsure of myself and my abilities within this area. I think one of my biggest challenges was getting out of my own way! I have had so much doubt and so much nervous energy surrounding this topic that I have been overwhelmed by the information to read, comprehend, understand, and apply throughout this course. Additionally, a challenge I have encountered throughout the eight weeks was being able to clearly and accurately understand the information to be read and processed in order to accurately and correctly apply it to my own research simulation. I have appreciated all of Dr. Darragh's feedback week to week as it has greatly helped me overcome my anxiety in regards to this course. 

• What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?
• As we near the end of this course, I have truly come to understand the importance of research in general, but especially for the field of Early Childhood Education. My outlook on research has changed, as well as it's importance to this field. Learning about incorporating children into research and the implications and impacts this has on our field and our understanding of children have greatly helped to open my eyes and my mind to research possibilities. There are SO many topics and arenas to explore in regards to research within the Early Childhood field. I think this course has definitely piqued my interest and perception in learning more in terms of child development within the research field. 

That's all for now. Another course is coming to an end, which means I am close to completion of my 5th course, also known as the halfway mark! :) :) Best of luck in future courses to all of my classmates and colleagues! I hope to meet you again in another course. Enjoy the one week break before summer courses and best of luck one and all! :)

-Ashley-

References:

Mac Naughton, G., Rolfe, S.A., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research: International perspectives on theory and practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Research Around the World

Welcome back! We did not have a blog assignment last week and with the craziness of my schedule (report card and assessment time in our school) I did not have a chance to post at all and was not required to post either. This has been a busy course and it is hard to believe how fast it is going - we are already ending week 5! This week's blog assignment called for us to explore International Early Childhood Research to better understand what kinds of research are taking place around the world within the field in our current society and present times. I chose to explore the Early Childhood Australia website, which is the equivalent to our NAEYC organization. After spending some time perusing the website, I discovered the answers to the following questions:

1. What are some of the current international research topics?

There is a specific section of this website titled RIPS (Research in Practice Series) in which you can access research articles, guidelines, an index of articles, guidelines, and become a subscriber. By viewing this section of the website I was able to discover some current research topics in Australia. Some of the topics that stood out to me the most included: how positive relationships can impact children in ECE; how children can learn positive behavior traits from teacher-child relationships; and several on the importance and impacts of play in ECE. I was happy to see these topics listed as they are all topics I am interested in as I understand they can greatly impact children in early childhood. One of the topics mentioned actually is strikingly similar to my chosen research subtopic so I plan to utilize this as a resource throughout the remainder of this process. 

2. What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website?

Upon opening this webpage, I was immediately captivated by the first slide that came across the screen. When I clicked on the link it took me to the "About" section of the website, in which it stated, "Early Childhood Australia is the peak early childhood advocacy organization, acting in the interests of young children, their families, and those in the early childhood field. Our vision: Every young child is thriving and learning," (ECA Inc., 2013, para. 1). After perusing the website and becoming more familiar with this organization, it became truly evident just how similar this organization is to our very own, NAEYC. The Code of Ethics is very similar to our own and that made me very pleased to see, as I have learned that the NAEYC sticks strongly to our own code. In addition, there are sections on the website for ECE news and more. This is definitely a website I will keep as a tool of reference in the future. Additionally, I will try to check in for updates as often as possible to compare research topics and findings to those in our own country. 

3. What other noteworthy information did you find on the website?

There were a few additional components I was very interested in that I discovered on this website. The first was the Everyday Learning Series, which "offers simple, creative ideas on how to enhance children's interactions with the world around them," and is "aimed at parents, grandparents, and carers of young children," to help them to foster and support a child's growth and development appropriately (ECA Inc., 2013, para. 1). This is an outstanding tool for families! I would love if our district could offer resources such as this to the families in town. There are also links to their own ECE Journal, Newsletter, and Magazine, as well as resources for educators to support best practice and much, much more. This was an extremely informative and impressive resource to be utilized in the future.

That's all for now, folks. Until next time…

References:

ECA, Inc. (2013). Early Childhood Australia: A voice for young children. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au. 

Research That Benefits Children & Families - Uplifting Stories

This week's blog assignment calls for each of us to share stories of positive impacts of research that have taken place with children and families involved in research studies. If we have our own examples to share of our own personal experiences with this topic, we are to write about it or research a sample of this. There was an additional option, as well. We could discuss a possible research topic we would conduct and how it would be successful and positively impact children and families, describing the ways in which this takes place. I chose to do the second option since I did not have experiences related to option one.

If I had the appropriate means and qualifications to conduct, operate, and fund my own large scale research study, I would focus on the topic of how poverty is impacting children and schools and what the schools could do to make a positive difference in the lives of these families. For example, our district provides a breakfast program and free & reduced lunch program for families who qualify and are in need. These two programs are instrumental in providing a healthy and nurturing program for the whole child, for every child. The goals would be to show the negative impacts that poverty can have on children, families, and schools and to counter this problem with positive solutions to help the children and families in the school. I think this would have a positive impact on the children, keeping them from hunger and providing nutritional meals for them in a time where their growth and nutrition is so crucial. In addition, I think this would help families in that it would reduce the stress of putting food on the table for all three meals. Families in poverty are having a very difficult time providing for their family so if the child is being provided with a meal for breakfast and for lunch at school that requires one meal to be provided for the family 5 out of 7 days of the week. In this case, any help is appreciated and I think it would be one small step at reducing the stress of the families who are struggling with poverty. Another example of something positive to be done for those in need within the community is that my district has a Village Shoppe, in which anyone can donate items to it (food, clothing, toys, household items, etc.) and the families in need can "shop" there for free for items for their families. This, again, would be a positive and uplifting resource for the families to provide for their children and family at no cost. I think this type of research and involvement would create many positive impacts on the children, families, and schools involved in the study and in the overall process.

Until next week….

Your Personal Research Journey

Week 2 of our Building Research Competency Course calls for us to discuss our chosen topic in our blogs, as well as questions, concerns, or whatever comes to mind in relation to this topic. For our research study, I chose to focus on social-emotional development in children within the Early Childhood field. This topic always interested me and I have worked with various students in my 4th grade classroom who have struggled with issues within this area. Due to this, I have become curious to learn more about this developmental instance to better understand the depth of this development, as well as various factors that can positively and negatively impact this stage or instance of development.

Within this topic, I listed several subtopics to possibly study and focus on for my project. Of all the possibilities, I decided to focus on the ways in which various relationships can impact social-emotional development of a child in Early Childhood, including family relationships, teacher-child and teacher-family relationships, and peer relationships. I think this is a topic that could be easy to study and get results and information on, as well as it is something that piques my interest. I would like to do triangulation research, in which I compare various relationships to see which has the biggest impacts and what impacts each has in comparison to one another, as well as if they work together to promote healthy development or can work together to hinder healthy development. 

At this point, I have many reservations about completing my own research. The overall idea is very daunting and overwhelming, albeit even a bit frightening to me! I feel very unsure of my own knowledge about the field yet as I am still learning, coming from and Elementary and Special Education background and working in 4th grade currently. In addition, I tend to have moments of doubt in my own abilities so would feel more confident and trusting if I had someone to work with or consult with in this process. I worry I will create a question that is too broad or too specific and will not realize this until too far into the process. I worry I will not properly draw conclusions from the information and data I have gathered and analyzed. At this point, I am a total worry wort in terms of research! ;) Is anyone else feeling this way or am I the only one!??!?! I am looking forward to embracing this journey with the support of my classmates along the way, learning together. I know this will be a challenge but I am hoping to be successful and learn along the way.

Until next week...

Building Research Competencies - A new journey!

Hello everyone!

Welcome back to my blog. The fifth course of the program, Building Research Competencies, begins today. This is going to be another new journey and adventure. I am very excited to see so many familiar names in my class, as well as in my group. Looking forward to meeting new people, too! Over the next eight weeks I will be posting blog posts related to this course. I must admit I am very nervous about this one!

Here's hoping for a great eight weeks one and all!

-A