Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Over the course of this week I learned about microaggressions and I am guilty of having done this as well as been a victim of it.  I have also witnessed my friends and colleagues use microaggressive behaviors.  Just this week an early childcare operator who I am working with stated that she did not want to deal with a specific parent because she is young and feels like she is getting over on her when it comes to child care services.  As Dr. Sue pointed out in this week’s webcast, “The perpetrator of a microaggression experience themselves as good, moral, decent individuals. And that makes it very difficult for them to understand that, in some way, they have made a statement, engaged in a behavior that has been offensive and reveals some bias or stereotyping on their part.” (Laureate, 2011)   While I think that the childcare operator meant no real harm she is stereotyping this parent because she is a young girl and views her as someone irresponsible.  While this mother provides everything that is stated her child needs while in care, has a job, and takes care of her child to the best her ability the operator still finds fault in the parent. 

As an early childcare professional and being in the business for over 25 years I have learned to work with people and to develop a working relationship with families and other professionals that is understanding and supportive.  While this is the operator’s first sole child care business, she is very new in the art of building workable relationships.  After she made her comments on the young parent, I asked her why did she chose to get in to child care and what made her open up a child care business?  Her response was not what I thought it would be.  I was looking for her to say because I love/like children.  She said that she wanted to own her own business and not work for someone else anymore as well as have something her children to take over.  After me looking at her for a moment in silence I had to say that you have gotten into this business for the wrong reasons.  But now that you have you have to build bridges with your families and the community you serve that is workable and“…there has to be a sense of interconnectedness with all of humanity.” (Laureate, 2011)  As a child care operator you have to be empathic to your parent’s needs and having the position of “…we have to view leadership as supportive of intergroup harmony and intergroup relationships, free of bias and stereotyping.” (Laureate, 2011) 

This week I have saw that I need to treat people the way in which I wish to be treated.  I have learned that it is not just what is said but what is unsaid that could present a discriminatory, prejudice, or stereotypic view.  I try to teach my personal and early learning children both to not judge people but to get to know a person.  But I do realize that this is a difficult task due to “cultural conditioning processes is that none of us are immune from inheriting the racial biases of our forebears.” (Laureate, 2011) But I believe that if we teach a better generation then the last these things can be overcome.  “I think if you look at the democratic ideals of this society, what you see is that we all believe in inclusion, in respect, in equal access and opportunities.” (Laureate, 2011)

 

 

Reference

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer).  (2011). Microaggressions in Everyday Life. 

[Webcast].  Baltimore, MD: Author.

 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

 

In order to gain a different perspective on diversity and culture I asked a friend, Monica Wilkins, and two early childhood colleagues what their definition or understanding of what culture and diversity means to them.   Monica Wilkins is a store manager and comes from a diverse family where her grandfather was white and her grandmother was black.  My first colleague, Denean Cameron, is an early childhood business owner who worked at the local Jewish Community Center prior to opening her program.  Ms. Cameron is a breast cancer survivor as well as a student at Walden University.  The other colleague, Ms. Drukeenu Nolan, is a new to the early childhood field but was in foster care during her formative years.  When I initially asked each person to tell me what their definition or understanding of culture and diversity they had to think about it and asked me to allow them time to think on it.  After about an hour I received the following interpretations on culture and diversity. 

Monica stated she could not think of a definition or way to interpret what culture is to her but she did say diversity  is the, “execution of different genres.” (Greene, 2013)  Denean states culture to be, “what I believe in and where I come from and diversity as “respect & understanding of someone’s difference such as religion, race, sexuality, and gender.” (Greene, 2013)  Drukeenu stated culture to her is, “a way of living and beliefs and diversity as different cultures blending together.”  (Greene, 2013)   I can say that no answer that any of them gave is far from what I understand culture to be.  The best definition I have seen and heard for culture would be Nadiyah Taylor for the webcast cast from week 2.  Nadiyah said culture is, “almost like a pair of glasses.  You know, the gestures that we make, how we make eye contact or don't make eye contact, the way we hold our bodies, how we perceive the world, all of those things for me are cultural, and so I think it's really just our way of being in the world and very personal.” (Laureate, 2011)   

I think that my friend and colleagues all have an idea of what culture and diversity is. I think they did have difficulty explaining or expressing what culture and diversity is because I believe they do not think or give any thought to either.  What I told each of them is to take a moment and think about the people you socialize with.  And asked them, is there some things you do with some friends that you would not do with another?  Why is that?  I had them understand that is the diversity and culture that is the underlining reason for that.  We respect them for their beliefs and practices despite the differences we all share.

Culture and diversity are the dynamics of a person.  It is the embodiment of what a makes a person an individual.  A person’s individual culture can be diverse because of the generations and experiences that have come before, things of the present, and those yet to come. 

 

References

Greene, Q. (2013).  A Conversation with Monica Wilkins, DruKeenu Nolan, & Denean Cameron. 

            Baltimore, MD

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer).  (2010). Family Cultures: Dynamic Interactions

           [Webcast].  Baltimore, MD: Author.

My Family Culture

The last major catastrophe event that I can think of that would have caused a great threat to my country was the attack on the White House, Twin Towers, Camp David, and Pentagon.  If this threat had been carried completely out I would have had to possible had to relocate my entire family because I don't live to far from Camp David.  If I had to relocate it would not only be devastating but also difficult.  Difficult because everything you have is important and serves a purpose.  If I have to relocate from my home and was instructed that spacing was limited to three personal items I would have no problem choosing.  In relocating the three items I would take with me would be a picture of my mother, my father, and the Bible my mother had kept in a fire proof box and is a treasure to my entire family.  Both of my parent’s pictures sit on my living room table.  I would take these items because both of my parents are deceased, my mother passed away in 2002 and my father passed away in 2011 and played an important role in making me who I am as well as my children’s life.  The Bible would have to come because it is a treasured instrument to my family. 

If I was told that I could not take all three of my items with me and had to pick one I don’t know what I would do.  I would have to choose to stay behind.  If that was not an option, I would have to choose the family Bible.  If I could I would take my parents pictures out of their frames and stick them into the Bible.   I could not part with the treasured family Bible but at the same token I do not want to leave to only pictures I have of my parents either.