Professional Hopes & Goals

When it comes to children and families I hope that people embrace others from diverse backgrounds. Diverse backgrounds is what makes everyone unique in their own special way. Children and families from diverse backgrounds should be respected and seen as equals. I think that they should get just as much support as their other peers and should not be shut out from various resources and opportunities. Don’t let stereotypes keep you from getting to know a person and you may be surprised at what a great friend you can make in the future whether they are a child, family member, or someone you just happen to meet.

One goal I would like to set for early childhood field in regards to issues and diversity, equity, and social justice is to always do your best when it comes to what all children and families in these topics. Let your passion to make change drive you to your ultimate goal. Realize that you do make mistakes and that is okay. Ask for help when needed and always put families and children at the top of your priority list.

I am also very thankful to my colleagues for being such a great support to me and from letting me learn from them as well. I have enjoyed working with you all and I wish you all much success in future courses!

Welcoming Families From Around the World

The family’s country of origin that I chose would be Lithuania. I would be working in a hospital setting Five ways to prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards the family would be:

                  1.  I would take the time to get to know the family and their culture by asking questions, watching movies, listen to music, or make home visits.
                  2. I would encourage the family to care for one another and to keep their family culture alive in their home as well as outside the home.
                  3. Keep all microaggressions and biases to myself because I know that it can have a lasting effect on the family.
                  4.   Stand up for any discrimination being done to the family and to bring up any new early childhood issues that may affect the family.
                  5.  Maintain an open and sensitive dialogue with the family and to listen careful for anything important that they may have to say.

These preparations will help to make the family more comfortable with me and will be able to open up. I hope that it will create a positive relationship between me and the family where they can come to me in their time of need. 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

When I think of bias, prejudice, and oppression, I think about the history of the holocaust. The holocaust was a huge event in time where the Germans had a hate for people who people who were non-Germans. It was not just the Jews who were targets. Everyone who did not have blue eyes, blond hair, and heterosexual were sent to concentration camps and death camps to be murdered or tortured for years. It targeted both children and adults. People were also unable to buy anything and were left with barely anything. I understand that this scenario may be to the extreme but I do find it highly important. The reason being is because we should be able to think for ourselves and to not always listen to what people say about other cultures. Hitler was the type of man who had huge amounts of power over others who were German but he himself was not. Neither did he have blue eyes and blond hair. His hate towards mostly Jews was based on past rumors, superstitions, and of course prejudices. His thirst for power caused him to get rid of anyone who did not fit the description. This act was unfair and unjust for people in Europe. Hitler should have looked within himself and stop blaming others for his condition in the world. This goes to show how being blind to what you don’t know and making assumptions can affect other people.

Reference

PBS. (n.d.). Adolf Hitler(1889-1945). Retrieved from American Experience: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/holocaust/peopleevents/pandeAMEX87.html