Welcoming Families From Around the World

The country that I have chosen as my “Family’s” country of origin is Australia.  I know very little about Australia and in order for me to prepare myself by learning all there is to know about this country.  Here are some ways I would prepare myself for this family.

1. Do research through the internet or even at the library, so that I can learn about their language, religion, and their life styles.
2. I would talk with the point of contact that has enrolled the child, so that I could find out where the child is coming from and contact the early childhood program that this child was enrolled in before moving.
3. I would collaborate with co-workers to see they have any information about Australia or if they have been to Australia.
4. Once I found out as much as I could about this families background, I would incorporate materials that represent their lifestyle.  Added familiar materials in my classroom would make my child feel welcomed.
5. In educating myself about this culture, I would have a one or two week long curriculum teaching the children about all the cultures that relate to all the children including myself.  Having activities that are related to all the children’s culture allows the children to see where and how they live and see new artifacts about each culture.

In preparing to welcome my family, I would benefit by obtaining information about this culture and diverse background in hope that this families would feel welcome and comfortable in my classroom.  With the information I have learned about their background I would be confident that I could provide the best education for the child and that the child feels comfortable and trusts me. I would hope that this family would see that I put my whole self into the education of children and that I am not holding any kind of bias towards them. 

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Week 6: The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Here is what I think is a huge bias experience that had recently happened at my husband’s graduation from college.  We invited family/friend to come and watch my husband walk to get his diploma and our family/friend told his daughter to not stand up or yell while he walked across the stage.  Our family/friend told her that is rude.  All the other families stood up and yelled when their member was walking the stage to receive their diploma and continue to tell his daughter that those families were being disrespectful.   I could not believe that she said that to her and all the families that stood up where black and Hispanic.  I told her that there is nothing wrong with yelling for joy, especially since this is one of your dad’s greatest accomplishments and it took him a long time to realize he need to have this education to move on in his life.   I also said, “Do you not think that your dad will yell when you finally walk the stage to receive your diploma, O yes he will.”  Later I explained that our family/friend just place a judgment or everyone that stood up to yell congrats and clap for their family member.  There is nothing wrong to rejoice over someone we know has accomplished something they have worked hard for and is making a difference in their lives. 

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

I listened to a video this week and Dr. Derald Wing Sue (2011) states, the unintentional and invisible nature of microaggressions that occur are the perpetrator of a microaggression experience themselves as good, moral, decent individuals; but it makes it very difficult for them to understand that, in some way, they have made a statement, engaged in a behavior that has been offensive and reveals some bias or stereotyping on their part.    Therefore, I feel I have seen firsthand an example of microaggression through my own child after attending a graduation ceremony.  As we are walking back to the car, my child hears a song playing out of a car that was on a country station.  As we go by the car, she looks into the car and said, “OMG, he’s black jamming to a country song.”  I looked at her and said, “Why did you say that?” and she said, “Because this is not typical of a black person to listen to country music.”  I explained to her, that she has just stereotyped that person because she does not know what that person’s background is all about.  I also explained, that you can’t say what is typical or not typical because of the color of that person’s skin either.  I have always tried to show my children that the color of your skins does not tell who you really are as a person and once the skin is gone, we all have the same color blood, organs, and bones.   I hoped that I raised my children too not stereotype others and they really need to think before they speak because comments like that could have offended that person listening to country music. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

After contacting several people and asking them what their definition of culture and diversity was, this was their responses...

Culture…

• the things that make up your life as a group, such as music, food, art likes/dislikes, holidays, and the particular way you celebrate those holidays, the way you raise your kids and how you treat elders.
• I think culture is when people, generally of a common area, share like values, beliefs, customs, moral values, food preferences etc. Although everyone doesn't necessarily have to believe or think exactly the same, but there are common ties that bind them together.
• is how you think, feel and at times what you believe in based upon your environment.

Diversity…

• all the different ways those items from culture are displayed. How vastly different one group of people enjoy -live life
• how vastly different one group of people enjoy-live life versus another group.
• is the differences in people. The differences in thought, preferences, race, beliefs, moral values, customs. Diversity can be within a culture or trans-cultural.

I was amazed that most of their answers were related to culture and diversity.  One way that influenced my thinking about culture and diversity is the way one of the answers were stated, "How vastly different one group of people enjoy-live life."  This is how most of use should be doing with our lives. ENJOY-LIVE LIFE!

My Family Culture

My family means everything to me so trying to imagine what I would take with me was a hard decision for me to make.  The first thing I would take is my bible, because if a catastrophic event happened my faith would need to be built back up and I know that God would always be with me where ever I am.  The second thing to show others about my family would be a family photo album to look back and remember all the good times.  The third thing would be my notebook full of how to make anything out of everything, because if I had to start all over I would have to learn how to wash my clothes, grow food, and how to make drinking water.  If this happen I would be scared of what would come next and figure out how to survive.  It is not hard to tell others about your family and we would all have to work together if we were all going to survive.  I have learned over the years after becoming a teenage mother how to make things in order to save money and that is one major thing I have taught my children to do.