Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

I was very alert this week as I worked hard to detect examples of microaggression.  I purposely walked isles of stores in hopes to hear or see examples.  My favorite example came as I was standing in line to check out, behind a woman who I presumed to be African American, another lane opened up and the gentleman said to me, “Ma’am, I can help you on the next lane.”  I turned to the woman in front of me and told her she could go first, as she was there before I was.  The gentleman looked very surprised that I had told the woman to go first.  His facial expression was almost a look of disgust.  I immediately recognized the woman’s body language and facial expression in response to the gentleman’s demeanor. 

 

This is an example of a white person being given preferential treatment over a person of color.  The message I perceived was that the African American woman was of a lesser that I was, so I should have been helped first.  I found myself feeling very uncomfortable in this situation.  I didn’t know whether to say something or if my courtesy of allowing her to go first was enough.  She smiled at me and told me thank you, but again I could sense her feeling of the microaggression that was occurring.

The observations that I made this week have certainly opened up my eyes to how often microaggressions occur.  Countless times they occur without one’s knowledge.  The readings and media this week have contributed to my awareness of how others are affected and to be very careful in the words we chose during conversations.  Discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes can be very harmful and have long lasting effects on one’s self-esteem.  Overall this week has been very educational for me. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I was very specific in whom I chose to speak to in regards to culture and diversity.  I really wanted to try to see if through specific selection, I would get different definitions.  I found that each of the people I had a conversation with about culture and diversity has similar definitions. 

The first person I chose was my mother, Teresa.  I wanted to see if and how her definition was the same or different than mine.  I found that her definition is very text book.  She refers to how culture can constantly change over time and how it can be a learned behavior from one’s surroundings.  This is similar to that of what we have learned through our text readings.  I do not feel that anything was omitted through her definition. 

The second person I chose was Joy.  Joy is a co-worker of mine who I believed in some ways would be culturally different from me due to our races.  Joy is African American, but was born and raised in the United States.  Joy’s definition of culture and diversity was not far off from how I defined both. 

With that said, I reached further into my contacts and selected an international contact from Peru, Odaer.  Odaer’s definition of culture and diversity was intriguing.  Although very similar in definition, she shared a more in-depth conversation with me and provided examples and pictures of how the community in which she lives preserves  ancestral knowledge, and as the knowledge is transmitted and this ensures the identity of cultures in Iso people against the threat of Westernization.  I found our conversation very interesting and it helped to paint a picture of her definition. 

Teresa – Roosevelt, MN

Culture constantly changes and sometimes exists in one’s mind.
It is a learned behavior as in traditions that have been passed on through
family members, ancestral backgrounds or perceptions that are shared
by universal traits. Culture is also through our own identities that set us
apart from others as in foods, language and experience.

Diversity involves the acceptance and respect that all individuals
and acknowledging our individual differences.

Joy - W. St. Paul, MN

Diversity- I define diversity as the integration of races and cultures to provide a variety of perspectives.

Culture- I define culture as racial, social and family economics that influence a person’s individual perspective.

Odaer  - Moyobamba-Peru

The culture as a general concept is any manifestation what man has created in its historical development in all corners of our planet

Diverse development emerges from there that from these various forms and manifestations of how they express themselves 

Children learn to weave through guidance of elders.

Gastronomy in Amazonian peoples.

My Family Culture

If a major catastrophe completely devastated the infrastructure of my country and I was told I could bring three small items that represent my family culture, I would bring my wedding ring, a family photo album, and an American flag.

The reason I would want to bring my wedding ring because it is a symbol of my promise to love and my commitment to my spouse for life.  A family photo album it important for me to bring because it is a clear representation of my family’s culture and celebrations.  The photo album would be a great way to reminisce and continue to pass on traditions from generation to generation.  The last item that I chose to bring was an American flag.  The American flag represents our freedom, bravery, and the American dream.          

If upon arrival I was told that I could only keep one personal item, I would be OK with that.  The memories, identities, and ‘who I am’ will still be ‘who I am’, with or without items to represent my culture.    Who I am lives within me and can be represented in my daily interactions.

In preparation of this exercise, I spoke with my husband about items that he would bring and why.  Two of our choses were the same, which spoke deeply that my choices were right on.  In the end, having to give up items, made me have a more profound idea of who I am and what it means to carry on traditions and cultures.   Objects are just objects.  It is what is inside a person that counts and makes a difference.  

 

When I Think of Research...

I have gained a plethora of knowledge through this course in regards to research.  Completing research was something that I felt I had no knowledge of in the beginning.  As the class went on, I found that assignments, especially our group discussions to help clarify many of my misunderstandings and to be helpful in defining many of the vocabulary that I did not understand.  Now as I work to complete my simulation study, I feel more confident in completing a study, knowing that I have come a long way to see this paper completed successfully.

Some additional challenges that may present themselves in research study involves biases.  Researcher must recognize that often times, their own beliefs may interfere.  Self-reflexivity involves deconstructing the ways in which our desires shape the texts we produce. 

My mind has been opened to the thoughts and ideas behind children and power relations.  Until recently, children were not address for consent in research.  Over the past few years, theoretical perspective of the sociology of childhood, which positions children as competent actors in their everyday worlds and capable of making decisions about participating in or withdrawing from research (Mac Naughton, Rolfe, & Siraj-Blatchford, 2010).

I feel like I have been given the tools in order to be successful in any setting of research.  I feel comfortable with informing other researcher as well as participants the goals and create more equitable relationships for everyone involved.

I am very appreciative of my colleagues through this course.  I started out second guessing If I have the brain power to make it through.  With you word of encouragement, learning through our discussions, and extra prayers, I feel far more successful than I thought I would.  I owe that to our Professor Dartt for guidance and believing in each of us.  In additional to my wonderful colleagues and their contributions and collaborations.  I appreciate all of you!

Refernce:

Mac Naughton, G., Rolfe, S., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing Early Childhood Research. Open University Press.

Research Around the World

The website that I chose to review further is http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/.

What are some of the current international research topics?

I found that many of the research topics in Australia are very similar to the research topics that we are studying in the United States. For example, The Research in Practice Series that is available through the website provides practical, easy-to-read resource, offering effective new approaches for those challenging issues which arise in the care and education of young children (http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/, n.d.).  Some examples in the research series are partnerships and working together with families, learning and teaching through play, and learning with computers.  Each of these topics are areas in which we have studied through our courses at Walden

What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website?

I found that Australia possesses a code of conduct that offers early childhood educators a framework of guidelines and educational responsibilities.  This is similar to the U.S. based NAEYC. 

What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?

The website had various resources for parents and professionals in the early childhood field.  It contained resources links, book recommendations, free journals and publications, as well as scholarly articles pertaining to recent issues and trends affecting the early childhood field.

Reference

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/, n.d.

Research that Benefits Children and Families

Research can often times create positive outcomes for both children and families. A code of conduct must be followed and parental consent must be obtained.  Conducting research in children is important due to the critical time of their lives and being able to conclude on important health issues. 

Take for example research that was conducted on a close friend, Ms. Valezquez’s, son.  At age 3, he weighed 85 pounds.  An increase in childhood obesity has become a significant public health issue. With the concern of his overweight status affecting his self-esteem, as well as having a negative consequence on his cognitive and social development, his doctor recommended the family take preventative steps to begin with.  Some of these steps included an increase in physical activity and a very strict diet.  In a conversation with my friend, she stated that her son underwent a magnitude of tests and experiments in order to eliminate a variety of health concerns that could be contributing to his rapid weight gain.  Ms. Valezquez stated that the modifications that they were required to make at home in regards to diet and activity was difficult but she knew it needed to be done for her son’s health.  She also stated that all medical concerns were eliminated through a series of tests conducted over a period of several months (Valezquez, personal communication, 2012).

 

In this case of research, I strongly feel that whatever tests and experiments that the family needed to subject their child too was worth the risks due to his health.  At times, the tests and experiments were painful to watch, but the end outcome was desirable.  Based on many factors the child had an increased risk of childhood obesity.  The recommendations provided by the doctor and the strict regiments the family endured made a positive change in the child’s life.  I believe that this is an example of how children and/or families can be positively affected by research.