Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

One form of Microaggression that I have witnessed was when two of my coworkers were discusses another coworker at work last week. 

Coworker 1: Ms. Tina told me I was gaining weight today.

Coworker 2: What? Why would she think that was ok to say?

Coworker 1: You know how those Philippine women think.

Coworker 2: I’m Philippine

Coworker 1: Well not you act like you are from here.

Coworker 2: I am from here.

Coworker 1: I’m sorry you know what I meant.

The conversation ended when coworker 2 knotted her head, smiled and turned around to work on her computer. 

When coworker 1 brought up the scenario at first I understood what she was talking about I had a similar situation with that coworker and agreed with coworker 2 when she said “What? Why would she think that was ok to say?” But once coworker number 1 brought up race I felt uncomfortable and just kept feeling more uncomfortable as the situation went on. I also felt really bad for coworker 2 because unintentionally coworker 1 used a microinvalidation about her culture and I could tell she felt hurt. 

This week, observing other I can see that discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people still exist. Dr. Sue said in the video that racism is was taking a new form and unfortunately I would have to agree with him. I see it through microinsults and microinvalidations.

Resources:

“Microaggressions in Everyday Life” 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

INTERVIEWS:

Jon:

Culture: “Culture is a persons ethnic history and background.”

Diversity: “Diversity is differences with an individual.”

Maggie:

Culture: “Culture is one’s way of life that characterizes people into a certain culture. Culture may be someone’s religion, beliefs, practices, or way of thinking.”

Diversity: “Diversity includes different beliefs, cultures, religions, ethnicities, or anything that makes people different from one another.”

Amos:

Culture: “Culture is the way different groups of people practice customs that dictate or govern their daily lives.”

Diversity: “Diversity is the differences that exist among human beings and they range from religion, color, cultural beliefs and practices, socio economic status, education and nationality.” 

Lani:

Culture: “Culture is how someone was raised. Their traditions, practices, beliefs, religion, and ways they handle situations.

Diversity: “Diversity is a combination of different cultural groups.”

Matthew:

Culture: “A person or peoples beliefs, traditions, and norms. Including language, religion, foods, laws, etc.

Diversity: “Being mixed with a lot of variety in one area or group.”

Stefanie:

Culture: “Culture is part of one’s identity. A person’s culture can be their peer group, religion, political view, customs, etc. Culture helps people identify where they fit into the world.”

Diversity: “Diversity is the array of differences amongst people, race, religion, age, etc.”

Which aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied in this course are included in the answers I received—and what are some examples?

Many of the people I interviewed definitions of culture go along with what I have learned in this class. Culture is complex and many elements make up a persons culture. Some of them also saw that diversity and culture go hand and hand.

Which aspects have been omitted—and what are some examples of such omission?

Some of the people I interviewed saw diversity as mixture of races and or cultures. This has not been included in our class.

In what ways has thinking about other people’s definitions of culture and diversity influenced my own thinking about these topics?

Interviewing others I see that the topics are difficult for people to answer and that some of them almost felt uncomfortable. I think these are important topics that need to be addressed. Culture and diversity are things to embrace. 

My Family Culture

My three items that I would bring with me to the new country would be:

1. Some form of music, hopefully I would have a plug in and would bring my ipod. I would tell others that music is not only relaxing and comforting to me but does remind me of my family. My older sisters and I have our certain songs that every time we hear them we call each other and sing them. When we are all together we sing and dance for fun. Its essential that I have some form of music to listen to. 
2. The second thing I would bring is a blanket that my great aunt made me. I take it everywhere with me and everyone in my family has one and mine is as special to me as the rest of my families ones are to them.
3. The third item would be a notebook. It would be a place to write my thoughts, sketch, etc. I come from a very artistic family. My sisters and I all draw and paint. Our parents house is only decorated with our artwork. I notebook would be a place for me to express myself and makes me think my family. 

If I was told I could only have one of my items I would be ok. I would select to bring my blanket. I can find other things to draw on and new forms of music in the country. 

This exercise has shown me that I am not very connect to any material things. It was difficult for me to come up with a list of three items. I do not have family heirlooms other then my blanket. I have moved around a lot in the passed six years that I have disconnected myself from items. Whats important to me is who I am with and how I spend my time. Its the things I do that trigger memories and are my traditions. 

When I Think of Research...

This class has greatly broadened my knowledge of research. I had a very brief understanding of what research was prior to this class and now I feel confident in my skills and abilities to become a beginner researcher. Terms were made clearer for me, I learned how to read a research study, and I now know the in’s and out’s of how to conduct research.

Prior to this class doing research for me was to look at others research and evaluating it, I had not really thought about conducting my own research or the steps I would take to do so.

This class has taught me where to begin when doing research, it has broken down a complex subject to a manageable task.

Some challenges I encountered were misunderstanding things when they were first presented to me (some of the terms and steps), using the book was a big help, along with the articles on variables and doing quantitative research. 

I have always thought of myself as an early childhood professional, this class however has helped me to grow as an early childhood professional and has helped me to relate to others and understand others better. This class has been very informative and helpful.

Research Around the World

The Website I decided to look at was Early Childhood Australia.

Some current international research topics in EAC are:

• Malaysia solution must not extend to children under any circumstance. The ECA provides recommendations for the Malaysian children seeking asylum.
• Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is missing the point on early childhood education and care reforms. Pam Cahir ECA chief executive speaks out about the issue.
• EAC also released a position statement on the Children of Asylum Seekers. 

In their latest newsletter they addressed:

- One Day at a Time’ resource for parents of children with a disability.

- The importance of play in children’s lives.

It was very insightful to see what other countries do for children in early childhood. I liked how the website brakes Australia's states up into sections so you can see what each state is doing. 

I found the website to be a great resource. The EAC is making a lot of progress and doing a lot of things for early childhood and having the EAC website lets others see the progress they have made. I can see the resemblance to NAEYC, I do not think their organization has come as far as the NAETC has however they are on their way. 

Resource: 

Early Childhood Australia: This is the Australian equivalent to the U.S. based NAEYC. You can access several links to early childhood research from the menu on the left side of the home page. http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

I work as a supervisor for one of the two school age care centers on Pearl Harbor- Hickam we have a number of kinders who just entered the facility who have asthma, which I found to be unusual, thinking back to when I was growing up and not knowing anyone with asthma. 

I found a research study that followed 1314 children from birth to 13 years old called, Perennial allergen sensitisation early in life and chronic asthma in children: a birth cohort study. The study looked at how indoor perennial allergens affected children and at which ages the effect was greater vs. those who did not have indoor perennial allergens. Indoor perennial allergens are, having dogs, cats, dust mites, etc.

The results of the study were that children with indoor perennial allergens had a greater chance of asthma and depending of the age of exposer chronic asthma throughout their life. “Therefore, the timing of the process seems of importance: the harmful effect of indoor allergen exposure interacting with sensitisation towards these allergens was most pronounced for the first 3 years of life. Adaptive immunity in children matures over the first 6 years of life, but the most important steps towards the development of mature systemic immune responses are taken in the first 1-2 years of life” (Illi, Von Mutius, Lau, Niggemann,  & et al., 2006).

This research will help parents know the effects of having animals and dust mites on their child’s health when they are under 6 years old. 

Resource:

Illi, S., Von Mutius, E., Lau, S., Niggemann, B., & et al. (2006). Perennial allergen sensitisation in life and chronic asthma in children: a birth cohort study. The Lancet, 368 (9537), 763-70.  Retrieved from ProQuest Health and Medical Complete. 

Your Personal Research Journey

During week 1 I formed a topic along with three subtopics:

Topic: 

The developmental differences in children having an early childhood educator that attended college and had training verses an educator who has no formal training.

Subtopics:

1. The quality of children’s development (social-emotional, physical, cognitive and language) in the classroom of teacher with educational training. 
2. The quality of children’s development (social-emotional, physical, cognitive and language) in the classroom of teacher with no formal training. 
3. Does having a formal education and training help a teacher to better prepare their class for kindergarten.

I decided to concentrate on subtopic number one: The quality of children’s development (social-emotional, physical, cognitive and language) in the classroom of teacher with educational training. I used to be a preschool teacher and saw both trained and untrained teachers. I always wondered what the effects were on the children, if any area of development was effected. 

Does anyone have an personal stories or information that will help me? Thanks!