Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

Describe in detail the consequences you might expect for the children and families with whom you work while you experience specific “-ism(s)” in your own life.  Include specific examples either those you have and/or are experiencing or ones you would anticipate.

An ism is the attitude and actions that surround institutional advantages and disadvantages people experience due to their membership in certain social identity groups (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  The ism that I have experienced most of my life is racism.  My earliest recollection is from primary school while riding a bus that carried predominantly Caucasian children to school.  I was ridiculed for being African American on a weekly basis.  As I grew older, I began to feel that our world was ruled by what was known as “White America”.  I felt this is why my father insisted that all of his children do well in school and go to college to get a good education.  We were told that knowledge was something that could never be taken away from you and could take you places.  So we did as we were told…my siblings and I all went to college, graduated, and got pretty good jobs.  However, I can tell you that there are some who live in our society that believe education, respectfulness, and human courtesy does not count for anything.  If you ever thought that racism was dead, I am here to tell you that it is alive and kicking!

 I was hired two weeks ago as a first grade teacher at a primary school.  The school serves a predominately African American population with a poverty ratio of about 80%.  Because of the number of children in the first grade classes, the Principal was allocated money for an additional teacher.  A parent of one of the children who will be transferred to my class wanted to know if I was Black.  She was told that I was an experienced teacher with 16 years teaching young children and taught previously in a District that was known for receiving excellent marks on the state report card.  She was also told that I came highly recommended for the position from my previous supervisor.  However, the parent was only concerned about her Caucasian child being taught by an African American teacher.  She also went as far to say that the only reason her child was attending this school was because most of the teachers were Caucasian.  When the Principal first told me of the situation I felt as if I had been slapped in the face.  Here we are in 2012 and it doesn’t matter how well you do your job, how you nurture and inspire children to learn, but what matters to some is what race you are.  After I got past the initial shock of what I was hearing, I knew that God put me in this position for a reason.  Will she and her son be treated any differently?  The answer is no.  I have always bent over backwards to communicate with all of my parents and worked 150% for all the children I serve.  Her child will get the same love and nurturing that all of my students receive.  As I do with all my parents, I will ask her to attend conferences and school functions and see me with any concerns that she may have about her child.  I have already sent a welcome home letter to all the parents letting them know how important it is for us to work together.   Racism continues to divide people and produce social and emotional turmoil.  As an anti-bias educator my goal is to embrace diversity within my classroom by making my students and families aware that we are all different, but we are all equally important to society, our classroom, and each other.

 

Reference: 

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and

ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.