The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

• One hope that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds (any format and any length)

One goal that I have is to continue to acknowledge one another’s cultures and diverse background within the curriculum, activities, books, etc. As well has having more family involvement such as potlucks, culture day and so forth.

• One goal you would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice 

One goal I would like to set is to help about teach diversity and educate people about their own biases, prejudices, and oppression. By Making people realize that we are hurting one another. Helping people realize the values and become respectful to one another.

• A brief note of thanks to your colleagues

Thank you colleagues! Your stories, comments, and discussions have helped me a lot. I always appreciate when colleagues view my work and/or help me with things I may have not seen or thought about before. Best of luck and wishes to your future classes!

Welcoming Families From Around the World

• The name of “your” family’s country of origin

My family’s country of origin is Italy

• At least five ways in which you will prepare yourself to be culturally responsive towards this family

1. I would try to read up about their culture, traditions, food, language
2. Secondly, I would invite families to a culture day where they can talk among other families and share a little about who they are and where they come from.
3. I could also invite families to have a potluck dinner.
4. I would try to get someone who speaks their language. If I cannot do that, I will try to print out the information for them in their language.
5. I would ask them to bring in something special that would make them feel comfortable. They could either leave it there or bring it back and forth.
6. I could also try to put up pictures of their country, common things, books in their language and English.

• A brief statement describing in what ways you hope that these preparations will benefit both you and the family

By doing these culturally responsive things for a family, it will allow our relationship and trust to grow. From that, the child and their family may feel comfortable coming into a new environment.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Educ 6164: week 6

• What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like.

One bias incident I experienced was when I was in high school. Everyone knew me as the “good” girl who did nothing wrong and very school oriented. In the middle of my junior year (11th grade), my school wanted to implement a uniform for the whole school. Some people were upset ( I was one of them), while others were ok with it. I was not upset because I had to wear uniforms, I was upset because it was the middle of my junior year and I only had a 1yr & 1/2 before my high school graduation.

My peers would say “I’m not wearing uniforms. I bet you would”. My response was “me? I do not want to wear it so I wont. It makes no sense”. In which they responded “oooh, I can’t believe you wouldn’t follow the rules. I can’t see you doing that because you will follow the rules likes you always do. You’re a good girl”. Point being I tried to go against it as much as I could before they gave me detention. EVERYONE found out and became so disappointed in me because of this and because I did not go to detention.

• In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

I think my specific bias diminished equity because it made me feel as though those who are “white and good” were not allowed to express themselves because we followed the rules.  

• What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

I was kind of hurt that everyone felt disappointed in me. I felt that I was not allowed to make any mistakes or express any ideas or thoughts of my own because I was “too good” and a “church girl”. I felt as though I had to prove that not everyone was perfect and it continued as I grew up: If I cursed people would say “aren’t you a church girl? That means you shouldn’t curse and go to church”, or if 

• What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

Others who believed to think I was so “perfect” or “good”.  

MORE: Bias, Prejudice and Oppression in movies

• The movie “Crash” (2004) was a very interesting movie that I recommend people watching. I have not seen it in a very long time, but seeing this blog it clicked in my head. In one scene two black men, Anthony (Ludacris) and Peter (Larenz Tate), walk out of a restaurant talking about various stereotypes/racial discrimination between black and white people. Walking down the same block a white couple are speaking to one another. The woman is holding her clutch and the man has his hands in his pocket. Until the woman notices the men walking down the block, she then proceeds to hold on to her husbands arm.

This movie is filled with race/gender/stereotypes/racial discrimination etc.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QXyyj1RiCE

• Ironically, watching that clip of that scene lead me to another movie coming out on April 27th, 2018. It is called “Disobedience”. From what I am understanding by the trailer is that a woman had feelings for another woman, but she got married to be “cured”. It seems to take place in an earlier time when that was not very much accepted.