How do we help children see different perspectives about racism, bias, and discrimination?

Everyone in this world deals with racism, bias, or discrimination. From these negative beliefs and values it can be communicated through books, magazines, media, and other communication. Children will begin to follow and act these norms in their communities. Teachers need to educate children and families that racism, bias, and discrimination can ruin a child’s perspective, confidence, and life style.

From the book Rethinking Early Childhood Education (RTECE) quotes, “If a child can be shown how to detect racism and sexism in a book, the child can proceed to transfer the perception to wider areas” (Pelo 211). In other words a child will learn how to see both sides of a story. Children will understand how it feels to be a racist and understand how it feels to be discriminated. One of the key resorts is to find a book that’s appropriate for children. How do you do that? The book RTECE explains there are ten guidelines on how to analyze children’s books for racism and sexism.

What else can we do besides finding appropriate books to teach children racism, bias, and discrimination? The book RTECE also states that music is for social justice. There are many different reasons why music is great for everyone. Music offers cultural diversity, create bonding, encourage integration, and many other positive qualities.

From my experience music can help children express their feelings or learn different feelings to communicate with one another. Working at a preschool made me realize that children learn easier with music. Children are able to learn different cultural music and genre. They have the opportunity to share with the class how they feel about the different types of music. Some children agree and disagree with each but help them create a bond.

Overall these are all great ideas and practices. How can we go further? How can we make our communities more involved with these issues of racism or biases? Are there more effective activities we can do to help children and families?

How can we support our children?

Lately our economy is struggling. Many people have to work two to three jobs just to pay the bills. Many families in United States can't afford to take off to take care of their children. Day cares and preschools are too expensive for most families. The book Rethinking Early Childhood Education explains most major industrialized countries have maternity and parental leave for newborns. But sadly the United States does not provide maternity and parental leave. Many families struggle to make payments or if they're lucky grandparents have to watch newborns when parents are working.

The story about Who Cares for Our Children? states that many countries in Europe have great educational benefits. In addition, teacher get paid just as much as doctors because their value of the educational field is high. It's said to see in the United States that some jobs that don't need a degree pay more than teachers which needs a degree.
How can we support these families? What can we do to provide education for the children? What we can do as a community is to raise money for unfortunate families. As a community we can make changes with the state and maybe go farther, making changes so our country can support early childhood education. It's sad that families have to take their children out of preschool because they can't afford it. We need to make options and fight for our beliefs in order to get results.

When can we just all get along and be happy?

If we just get along and understand each other, wouldn't it be a perfect place? I guess everyone is not perfect and we all have to learn and understand others differences. Just some people take longer than others. For example, in the book Rethinking Early Childhood Education explains how people with differences are speaking their mind. They feel it's finally okay to tell people they love someone who's the same gender, different race, and other reasons. This helps children see different perspectives and be able to allow difference in their lives. Children will be able to accept them and themselves even if they are different from the norm.

For example, I have co-workers that are confident with themselves being gay. They are open to answer curious questions and be okay with it. I believe children need to be educated because everyone has feelings that can be hurt. By reading stories about different kinds of families will help children understand there are now difference and its okay to have two moms or two dads.

I have two aunties and I'm proud of them being open with our family. As long as they're happy with each other I'm grateful to have them in my life. That's why I want to educate and make people understand that it's okay to be who they are.

Will prejudice, racism, and bias ever end?

All over around the world people experiences prejudice, racism, or bias in their lives and around them. Just because you're dark, white, large, small, male, female you're not part of the group. From the book Rethinking Early Childhood Education tells a story about a Spanish boy Ernesto not liking the color of his skin. How did he get the image of darker people are considered ugly? Children at school would tease him and call him monkey just because of his dark complexion and curly hair. His and many environments does not accept these biases because of their parents, media, and other environmental influences.

When my mom was dating my dad who is Okinawan. My mom's grandma who is pure Japanese did not approve my dad because he's Okinawan. She believed that Okinawans are lower class people and did not have pure white skin like the Japanese. But my mom didn't care about my dad's ethnic background or how he looked. My mom loved him for his personality and was respectful towards her and others.

Overall I believe prejudice, racism, and bias will always be around but hopefully minimized to a very small percentage. From the story Raising Issues of Race with Young Children explains how children at age six are already experiencing racism or bias. For example, "The brown kid can't be in our group." By preventing these actions and beliefs teachers are inputting multicultural and anti-racism in the curriculum. Children are able to understand and mature enough to learn what's going around our environment. But how well are children are going to apply it? How well parents, teachers, and families are able to support multiculturalism and anti-racism?

Why do we force children to grow up too fast?

I remember growing up as a kid I had time to play with my peers, make new friends, and able to participate in physical education and music. Sadly this generation is changing, children need to fit certain standards to get into kindergarden. Why do we go school? To learn how to write, read, solve problems, and ability to interact appropriately. The story The Scripted Prescription by Peter Campbell explains how a girl named Vivian was intimidated and did not like school because of taking a test. Vivian's mother explains how the teachers were not personable at all, they were only there for Vivian to take the test.

I believe children should have the opportunity to create a bond with teachers in order to begin learning. It is very important for teachers offer different learning opportunities because every child learns differently and learns in different paces. From my experience, I work with a girl with autism. Teachers give her loads of homework and projects for her to complete with minimal instructions. My client is a very determined student that always want to get the job done. She will make the effort to do her work during break, lunch, after school program, and home. I would suggest her to take breaks but she would refuse. This cuts out all her opportunities to interact with her peers and teachers. From this result I had asked her counselor if we could minimize her work load or find some other alternative to help her balance her school and social life.

In conclusion, I am still trying to find ways on how to make children feel balanced with school and fun. Children also need to learn appropriate social skills when media is beginning to be very inappropriate. But I'll always have questions to be solved. What can you do to encourage children to socialize with their peers or teachers? What incentives can I offer my client to take a break?

Why is it important to learn other perspectives?

Why is it important to see the world in different perspectives? Why do we have be sensitive why other cultures and beliefs? All of these questions where thought in my head from reading the two stories Why We Banned Legos and Rethinking the Three Little Pigs. These stories explains how to teach children to look into different perspectives because we don't want others to feel left out or discouraged. For example, Carl and Oliver are examples on how Legos could be unfair and non-collaborative. This incident explains how some children could have more power than others. Also just because on the shape, size, or color determines that is better than any other lego.

Luckily, teachers and parents were very consistent and motivated to teacher their children how to be cooperative, collaborative, and able to problem solve. The reason this was so successful is because teachers and parents presented different perspectives for the children to visualize on why legos could be a bad influence with inequality. Even when the children could not see the bad side teachers and parents did not give up, but gave different examples for children to solve on their own to understand the problem.

From reading these two stories made me realize how careful you have to be on selecting activities for children. We as teachers need to find appropriate and effective activities to help children grow with all developmental areas. Since we live in Hawaii we have a large ethnic diversity. For that reason we need to be open-minded and able to adapt with different beliefs and habits. For example, I work with a girl who have a strong Filipino background. I make sure to research on their culture and customs so I can make her feel comfortable. I would ask about their food and traditions. She was happy to share her culture and also asked about mine. This created a stronger bond because this shows that we respect each other and willing to work with one another.

Is sex-role stereotypes ever going to end?

From the book Rethinking Early Childhood Education mentions around 40 years our society has experienced changes of gender equity in education after a trip to the mall. They say that toys stores still remain selling sex-role stereotype toys. The norm for boy toys are G.I. Joe, cars, trucks, weapons, and other destructive toys, and for girls are Barbie, Polly pocket, dress up, and other dainty toys.

Now teachers are trying to change it up. They want to teach children anybody can play with any toy. You don't have to be a girl to play with dolls or you don't have to be a boy to play action figures. We have to try and make children to feel comfortable to do anything. For example, growing up as a kid I would always want the boy toy from McDonalds because of the car. But my mom said "No you're a girl and girls get the Barbie not cars. I couldn't understand why it was such a big deal. All my life I was puzzled and wonder why I couldn't get dirty with my boy cousins or play sports. Later on, my teacher spoke with my mom and said that I was very talented in sports and I should try out. My mom was very amazed by my teacher's comments that she accepted who I am and let me be whoever I wanted to be.

From reading both stories, I was able to relate to it because I was exactly like that. Therefore, whenever I had the chance to teach children or work with my clients I always made sure that they can do anything what they love. No one can stop them and they're unique in what they do. Every obstacle is a challenge to better themselves and to be better and stronger people.