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.

Do you think we can find our way back?

“We live in a culture that dismisses the significance of an ecological identity, a culture that encourages us to move around, rather than by intimate connection to the land, the sky, the air. Any place can be home.” Ann Pelo mentioned this quote in the book Rethinking Early Childhood Education. This explains our generation people don’t really have a place called home. I believe we are taking things for granted. For example, in Hawaii people built golf courses, homes, buildings, and hotels on secret Hawaiian lands. Technology, economy, government, and political reasons are destroying many Hawaiians that cherish their lands and nature.

Another example, countries building transportation, cutting down tree, and wasting water. These actions affect our environment and health. If we just conserve, recycle, and reuse items, we can teach children and others great habit to save our earth.

As teachers we need to teach children how to connect to a place, find their ecological identity, and help shape themselves to their own culture and social identity. We need to show children different emotions, perspectives, and use collaboration to start this journey. When children have these connections they begin to be confident with learning and comfortable in their own skin.

Ways to support or help engage these concepts are to read books and have activities that relate to endangered species, rainforest, pollution, recycling, and different cultural connections to the earth. From doing these activities and reading children broaden their perspectives about our environment and lifestyles. Children will begin to appreciate where they live and contribute great actions on how to take care of our environment.

Should I fight for what I believe is right?

From high school to beginning of college I always seemed to be the follower just because I didn't want to cause tension. From this action, I realized I'm only hurting myself. Now I began to come out of my shell and fight for my own and other rights. Sometimes I win my battles and sometimes I lose. But on the end I will always try to do the right thing and stand up for what I believe in.

The story about "Unwrapping the Holidays," by Dale Wess reflects on her difficult first year of teaching. She believed during holidays like winter celebrations, teachers should recognize all winter celebrations like Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Winter Solstice. Many teachers were against it and felt they have more than enough experience on how to celebrate holidays. But this teacher fought for what she believe in by educating teachers and children. She also tried to see both ends of the spectrum to not disrespect others. This teacher is a great example of teaching children diversity, determination, confidence, and cooperation.

When I worked at a preschool as an aide I had approached a similar situation. One incident I had faces was when a teacher made the children do an art activity on cows. She wanted the class to draw, color, and cut out a cow exactly like her model she created. When the children couldn't do it, the teacher made them redo it and help them draw it for them. After the activity I had suggested the teacher to construct free art activities that can expand their creativity. The teacher was furious we me and mention she know what she's doing and taught for years. I respected her for what she preached but I still stuck to what I believed in. So when it was my turn to come up with an art activity I had children to make a collage with different colors, textures, and sizes of paper. The children were able to create anything they wanted. The next day, the teacher made the children make puppets by coloring a lion, cutting, and pasting it on a brown paper bag.

Later I decided to speak with our director about this situation. The director agreed and decided to mention is on our monthly meetings. Some teachers took the advice and some teachers believe parents won't appreciate it their child's creative art work. On the end I believe I am one step closer to my goals on creating a appropriate learning environment for children.

Should I fight for what I believe is right?