Saturday, October 13, 2012

SEEING DIVERSITY IN SOCIETY

What children ask, say, or do about any aspect of their own or other's identities and differences are wonderful "teachable moments" of anti-bias education for their parents or the adults with them (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). *Name a time when you witnessed an adult(or yourself) reprimad or silence a child after he or she pointed out someone they saw as different. This past week I took my neice to McDonalds. Our cashier was a young lady who had a form of Dwarftism. In her appearance she was extremely short and her heart was larger than her body. My neice didn't say anything while we were in McDonalds she just stared at her. When we got to the car she was telling my son about the cashier and she started laughing about her head being bigger than her body. I told her that it was not nice to laugh at other people. I also told her that the young lady was very nice and had good manners which is the most important thing when you are serving others. I explained how we are all different and God did not make everyone to look the same way. *What messages might have been communicated to this child by the adult's response? The message that I wanted her to remember is that just because you are different does not mean that you should be laughed at or teased. The way you carry yourself and respond to others is much more important. We are all different but beautiful in our own way. *What might an anti-biased educator have said to support the child's understanding? I have witnessed children blurt out things about the people around them on many instances. Parents or the adults with them usually shhh them or tell them to be quiet without any explanation. Many times the children will ask or say the same thing again because they want an answer to their question. Anti-biased educators know that these are "teachable moments" where we can correct any stereotypes or biased understandings that children have at that very moment. This will enable them to begin thinking in a "new light" about others who are different. Reference: Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
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2 comments:

  1. Priscilla HerronOctober 14, 2012 at 2:48 PM

    Teresa,

    I think that you did a good job with redirecting your niece comments. It is important to look at the good in people instead of the differences. You were exactly right in telling her that God created each of differently. That is the key part of being an individual our differences are those things that make us special and unique.

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  2. Anabel HermosuraOctober 19, 2012 at 12:22 AM

    Teresa,
    I agree with you about the need for adults to explain to children the reason why they need to be careful on the way they treat or comment on other people. It is true that children at an early age need to learn how to accept people no matter what their status, race, color, gender, abilities and religion. That way children learn to respect and accept others and treat them as no different than themselves. Thank you for your post.

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