Advocacy Action Overview

The perseverance of advocacy in the early childhood education field is to improve ideas and answers which will influence children and their families in encouraging ways. Advocates are essential in the early childhood field, because they lead toward improving the educational system, health issues, emotional and physical needs from the local, state and national levels. Kieff (2009) shares “all early childhood professional should see themselves as agents of change with skills to voice, initiate, and formulate the change process” (P. 7).

Reference

Kieff, J. (2009). Informed advocacy in early childhood care and education. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Start Seeing Diversity Blog: "We Don't Say Those Words in Class!

Unfortunately, people that lack the understanding of persons with disabilities cannot fully understand the concept of being disable. And some children, like adults do not understand people with disabilities, and they are viewed as helpless. But that is not the case, some people with disability lives a functional life, and does very well. And some people with disabilities live a functionally life, better than people without disabilities. That is because, some people with disabilities has accept their lives and are committed to live their life and are happy.

            The church that I am member of has an Easter program every Easter Sunday morning.  Anyone that wants to participate can read a poem, sing a song, or partake in a skit. One particular Easter, a young man with a slight mental disability that is also a member of the church, decided that he would sing a song. Well, the other children in the church started laughing at the young man. Although, their laughs were not very loud their gestures, faces, and body languages were very much noticeable. The adults did not want to bring attention to the children that were making fun of the young man, because he might would get nervous, or he might would know that he was being laughed at; so the adults just acknowledge the children that were laughing by looking straight at them and they stop. When I was a child and I did something wrong, my mother gave me that look. 

            In addition, when the young man finished singing, the young lady that presided over the Easter program, spoke highly of the young man, and he received a standing ovation. The message that was received by the adult's response was that the young man could achieve his goals no matter what obstacles he faces. I think that the adult response also gave the young man some confidence; and no more what he should strive. Derman-Sparks, L. & A. B. Task Force. (2012) states “all children are harmed. On the one hand, struggling against bias that declares a person inferior because of gender, race, ethnicity, or disability sucks energy from and undercut a child's full development” (p. 1).

            In this case, the children without a disability also learn that because the young man or anyone that has a disability is a message; being disable does not mean that disable people cannot participate in activities while enjoying themselves. I think that it is easier for a disable person to accept their disability than a person without a disability to accept someone with a disability.

            As an anti-bias educator it is imperative that any child with a disability knows that he or she should strive to reach his or her goal. But first the anti-bias educator needs to remove, if any, bias from within. So, when a situation occurs, the educator will not have difficulties dealing with the situation. Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) states “understanding how young children construct their personal and social identities, how they think about differences and absorb messages about prejudice and social advantage or disadvantage, is the foundation of effective anti-bias education” (p.11).

                                                            References

Derman-Sparks, L. & A. B. Task Force. (2012) Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young             Children. Retrieved from www.teachingforchange.org.

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010) Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and            Ourselves. Children's Identifiably Development. Director Publications and Education             Initiatives.

Start Seeing Diversity: "We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

Unfortunately, people that lack the understanding of persons with disabilities cannot fully understand the concept of being disable. And some children, like adults do not understand people with disabilities, and they are viewed as helpless. But that is not the case, some people with disability lives a functional life, and does very well. And some people with disabilities live a functionally life, better than people without disabilities. That is because, some people with disabilities has accept their lives and are committed to live their life and are happy.

            The church that I am member of has an Easter program every Easter Sunday morning.  Anyone that wants to participate can read a poem, sing a song, or partake in a skit. One particular Easter, a young man with a slight mental disability that is also a member of the church, decided that he would sing a song. Well, the other children in the church started laughing at the young man. Although, their laughs were not very loud their gestures, faces, and body languages were very much noticeable. The adults did not want to bring attention to the children that were making fun of the young man, because he might would get nervous, or he might would know that he was being laughed at; so the adults just acknowledge the children that were laughing by looking straight at them and they stop. When I was a child and I did something wrong, my mother gave me that look. 

            In addition, when the young man finished singing, the young lady that presided over the Easter program, spoke highly of the young man, and he received a standing ovation. The message that was received by the adult's response was that the young man could achieve his goals no matter what obstacles he faces. I think that the adult response also gave the young man some confidence; and no more what he should strive. Derman-Sparks, L. & A. B. Task Force. (2012) states “all children are harmed. On the one hand, struggling against bias that declares a person inferior because of gender, race, ethnicity, or disability sucks energy from and undercut a child's full development” (p. 1).

            In this case, the children without a disability also learn that because the young man or anyone that has a disability is a message; being disable does not mean that disable people cannot participate in activities while enjoying themselves. I think that it is easier for a disable person to accept their disability than a person without a disability to accept someone with a disability.

            As an anti-bias educator it is imperative that any child with a disability knows that he or she should strive to reach his or her goal. But first the anti-bias educator needs to remove, if any, bias from within. So, when a situation occurs, the educator will not have difficulties dealing with the situation. Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) states “understanding how young children construct their personal and social identities, how they think about differences and absorb messages about prejudice and social advantage or disadvantage, is the foundation of effective anti-bias education” (p.11).

                                                            References

Derman-Sparks, L. & A. B. Task Force. (2012) Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young             Children. Retrieved from www.teachingforchange.org.

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010) Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and            Ourselves. Children's Identifiably Development. Director Publications and Education             Initiatives.

Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

            I believe that early childhood centers should avoid the inclusion of books that represents gay or lesbian individuals and same-sex partnered families. I am not a homophobia. I do not have personal feelings about an individual's sexual preferences. I believe that children should learn about sexual preferences or orientation at an early age from their parents, because at the level of early childhood, explanations can confuse a child. Example, a child is taught in their Sunday school class and at home about a family structure and they have strong religious belief. The child is also taught in their childhood's center gays and same-sex partner this leaves the child confused, because the child's parent’s views are not the same as the educator's. How should a childhood center explain to a child that has strong family beliefs about sexual orientation that it is okay to have same-sex partners and be considered as family?  Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) states “Invisibility erases identity and experiences; visibility affirms reality. When children see themselves and their families reflected in their early childhood setting, they feel affirmed and that they belong. When children's identities and families are invisible, the opposite happens” (p. 13). Therefore, as an educator I must understand that it is important for me to respect the relationship I made with my parents and present my reactions. I know that it is imperative that I remain open-minded to finding solutions to having mutual grounds between the parent's perspectives and myself.

            If someone explains to me that they do not want anyone who is homosexual or transgender to be caring for, educating, and/or interacting with their child. I would the person to thoroughly explain to me their opinion and view-points; because sometimes a person can be ignorant to an issue because they assume and do not have thorough knowledge of the facts. As a parent I understand that every parent wants to protect their children from harm, so I too would be very skeptical if my child's teacher is homosexual or a transgender. However, as long as the teacher does not display themselves openly and expresses his/her view point about homosexual and transgender I can accept the educator. Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) states “young children struggle with many issues as they attempt to understand what being a girl or boy means. The support they do or do not get in their preschool years lays the foundation for the rest of their gender identity formation (p. 91). I would explain to the parent/family that having a homosexual or transgender teacher would not influence their child's sexual orientation, because their child cannot be influence by someone else sexual preferences.  Jennings (2015) states” we should be respecting every kid that comes into the school. We should be treating them equally and give them equal opportunities to succeed. We should be hiring teachers based on how well they teach, not based on their sexual orientation.

References

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010) Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and            Ourselves. Leaning About Gender Identity & Fairness. Director Publications and Education   Initiatives.

Jennings, K (2015) Q & A with GLSEN Founder: LGBT Teachers Still Face Barriers. Retrieved from

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/09/09/qa-with-glsen-founder-lgbt-teachers-still.html