Welcoming a Family from Japan

A Family from Japan

 

I chose to have my family come from Japan.  

Ways to be Culturally Responsive:

1. Research the culture.

2. Invite the family into the classroom.  I will need to better understand the Japanese culture, when it comes to education.  I read on the CIA website that the most followed religions are Shintoism and Buddhism.  This will make celebrating holidays and events very foreign to my new student.  Christianity and Judaism are the most acceptably celebrated by schools in America and our calendar follows the events of each religion accordingly.  To be prepared I will need to know what holidays they do or do not celebrate and understand their values so not to offend them (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html). 

3.  Two-way communication in response to family's spoken language.  First I must find out if the child and parents speak English.  If this is not the case, information for the parents have to be translated.  If I must speak with parents in a conference, I will also need a translator. 

4. When in class I will have a few key words and phrases that will allow me to communicate with the child and that they will learn over time.  This will help with continually trying to integrate the student's culture in the classroom. Also, learning phrases that the child speaks it important as well.  It is key to have rituals and routines for this child to begin to understand what to do in a non-verbal way. 

5. Develop creative and alternative ways for student to show what they know and what they have learned (NAEYC, 2009).   In America, teachers single out students to make them more comfortable and develop a relationship with them in the ECE field.  In Japan, education is focused on the group and all the teachers are cohesively teaching the same thing (http://japanese.about.com/od/japaneselessons/a/061000.htm). Through observation of play and small group interactions from student to student and teacher to student I will be able to better understand how to support the student.

My preparations will benefit me and the family because they will see that I am making a concerted effort to include their child and understand their differences.  Hopefully the parents will feel supported rather than excluded from the culture of the classroom.  This will better the student's relationship with their peers and teachers.  Also, it will help the student transfer from home to school easier because their will be similarities between the two. 

References

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2009). Where we stand on responding to cultural and linguistic diversity. 

http://japanese.about.com/od/japaneselessons/a/061000.htm

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

As I went through this week, I cannot recall a situation where a microaggression occurred.  But recently in the news there has been controversy over a statement made by Phil Robertson of the A&E show "Duck Dynasty". 

 

(Some light humor)

As many of you know there has been a situation with one of the cast members from the show "Duck Dynasty".  A show about a family from the south that made an empire from building duck whistles.  The patriarch of the family came out with statement claiming that black people were happier when they were in the cotton fields.  He claimed, he always heard them singing while working and he never heard them complain.  REALLY???? Also in his rant he goes on to insult gays as well.  He compares homosexuality to bestiality.  Robertson's remarks are outright racist, homophobic and ignorant of reality.  He has literally hit each form of microagression with his statement. 
The CNN article:  http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/19/showbiz/duck-dynasty-suspension/

When I heard the comments that he made, I was immediately offended.  First, because I watched (past tense) the show.  Second, because he is not only going against what the Bible says by judging people and showing hate, but he is perpetuating the stereotype that Christians feel they are better than others.  The biases that he has inherited from his family members about African Americans and gays are completely off base and shows that the suppression of different groups of people is still happening in the modern world (especially in the south). 
Because of these comments I no longer watch the show. 

There have been many many other cases and situations like this in the media where race, religion and homosexuality have become a large part of politics topics and debates.  As mentioned in week 2 of the course.  It is important to address differences and not sweep them under the rug.  Invalidating situations such as this can be detrimental to the future of this country and its youth! I can guarantee that.  The comments show that there is still work to be done when it comes to accepting people who are different.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

One of my best friends, she is a Chinese American.
She explains: Diversity can include anything that makes an individual different from the larger group.  Such as race, ethnicity, religion, disabilities, etc.  It can also include things such as how people dress and people's values.
Culture can include family history and the lineage of their ancestors.  It can also be developed from the environment a person is raised in. 

A Portuguese American co-worker.
She explains: Diversity in a classroom is the presence of different types of people/students in the classroom.  Diversity is the mixtures of different types of people in one place. 
Culture is the customs and values that a person or group of people have.  Culture explains people behaviors, its their religion, what they wear and explains how they think about themselves and other.

An African American male:
He explains: Diversity is different types of people.
Culture is someone's customs.

How interesting it is to see the definitions by women and the simplistically thought definition by a man.  Each person's definition was pretty much on the right track to all the information we have learned about in this course.  None of the people I interviewed spoke about culture and diversity influencing the identity of a person.  My Chinese American friend did touch on the environment that a person is raised in as an element of their culture.  In Ngo's (2008) article Beyond "Culture Clash" Understandings of Immigrant Experiences he explains culture and identity as dynamic.  Identity is constructed by the social relations at play in a person's life.  Thus culture has to do with an person's identity as well as their environment.  Each participant touched on surface culture, the differences between people, their family and ethnicity.

Overall, putting together the definitions of my peers was the summation of my definition of culture and diversity before this course.  They each have listed an aspect of culture and diversity but I now know that each is simple to understand but quite complex to explain.  It is important that when thinking about these topics, you have an open mind it is also important to have an idea of your own culture and self-identity. 

My Family Culture

 

If I had to leave my home and country I would take:

1. I would take my Bible.  There are many places where having individual religious beliefs are unacceptable.  If I am unable to get a Bible or even let it be known that I am Christian, it will serve as a way to stay connected to my religion.

2. I would bring family photos.  Most of my free time is spent with family, friends and loved ones.  If there is a possibility that I may never see them again, pictures will be somewhat helpful for all the memories.  The memories will remind me of the good times we had and also all the places we traveled together in America.

3. I would take my computer.  Hopefully they have WiFi where I am going.  My computer has the past 10 years of my life on it.  Along with photos, grad and undergrad work, and my work as a professional this computer stores, electronically, the other items I chose to bring.

If suddenly, I was only allowed to bring one item it would be my computer.  Though each of these items are not overtly a symbol of the dominant culture, they are special to me and represent the culture that I was brought up in. 

Through this assignment I have realized that how, as individuals, we define ourselves can change each day, month or year.  The person I am not is not the person I was 2 years ago.  The dominant culture can be defined by those who dare to change it. 

Reflection: When I Think of Research

I made it! Yaaaaaaay!

Research is a complex process, but it seems that its a process once learned, each time I will get better and better at conducting it.  Though I have only explored the intensity of research for eight weeks, it seems just as a daunting task as it did the first day of the class.  Only now, I have the right tools and mindset to complete it with reliability, transparency, validity and equity.  It is interesting how much self-reflection and self-awareness is necessary to conduct research. Its so important for a reaearcher to know how their personal stake in the research could possibly alter its validity if it is not recognized and addressed.  Design and planning are so essential to the process of research because without them, research data and results can be challenged and question fo validity. 
Some challenges for me were finding the correcr type of research to meet the content of my research.  Also I had to think of ways to not make the trial and error part of the data process not redundent.  I rectified this by adding online elements to the questionnaires and surveys given to parents.
As an early childhood professional I have become more versed different aspects of the field.  I also know how to question and read research that I am reading. 

I would like to thank my colleagues for a great semester.  All of your comments, insights and questions have made me a better professional! Happy Holidays.

Research Around the World

Early Childhood Australia (ECA) is an advocacy organization for young children.  One of the first things I saw when I logged on to their site is that they are advocating for children with disabilities to have quality education.  This organization is very much so one that provides vital information to educators and families.  They reach out to families and educators through webinars, membership and newsletters and the reporting of daily endeavors with the government.  This organization also publishes an early childhood journal call the Australasian Journal of Early Childhood which is the longest running early childhood journal to date. 

Quality support from the government seems to be an issue brought up in the section of Early Childhood news.  As the government a fund wage increase for early childhood workers there is great celebration, but the uncertainty of these funds in the near future still causes anxiety among the early childhood field.  These funds are a big step toward hiring more qualified workers and sustaining quality it early education.  This is another step in ECA's advocacy for quality reforms for education.  After further investigation of the website and reading more recent newsletters, the funding promised was revoked by the government this November saying it was "inequitable" and that they are reviewing the funding bill. 

Another issue is making early education affordable, flexible and available to all.  This topic is definitely an issue that many parents in America can relate to.  Only have early childhood care for those in poverty or those who can afford it for their children is not allowing access to all young children.  In an August media release, it states that the lack of investment in early education is affecting children later in school and also addresses that there are strong economic benefits to investing in early education. 
 

An insight I gained is that the fight for early childhood education is long from over or nearing it end.  When I entered this field I thought it was a developed, support field just like elementary education.  But my assumption was far from the truth.  The understanding and commitment to early childhood education is just at its beginning stages.  No matter where you are on this earth, there are teachers and advocates fighting for the rights of young children, their families and the right to affordable, quality early education. 

Research the Benefits Children and Families

Imagine that you possess the means and the knowledge to conduct research studies about any topic in the early childhood field. Imagine further that you are not restricted by the reality of the present. Imagine that your study will make a major positive contribution to the well-being of children and/or their families. What topic would you choose? What can you imagine the positive contribution(s) would be?

If I could contribute to the early childhood community with any research topic it would be to improve quality.   The quality of early childhood education, I feel, is the foundation for all other research.  Whether looking into research on ELL, accountability, economics, assessment, access, or teachers, quality outcomes for programs, young children and families are all related.  
A quality program has many many elements.  There are studies that claim that quality early education is scarce and I take a personal offense to that (EQUIP,2013).  There are many elements to a quality program such as teacher education, curriculum, the environment, funding, community outreach, etc. As quality continues to be questioned in recent years, I would want my positive contribution to be a clear understanding of early childhood quality.  As most early childhood educators know it is difficult to put ECE in a box.  Its elements are non-traditional, require teachers to have a different type of relationship with their students (compared to grade 1 and up).  Also I would want to help improve the quality of early childhood education in New Jersey.

References:

nieer.org

Alexandre, J.M.Y, Makow, N. Jung, K., Barnett, W. Steven. (June, 2013) Essex Infant/Toddler Quality Improvement Project (EQUIP). National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER).