A Note of Professional Thanks

                                          

 I like to thank my colleagues and my instructor for being a dedicated or committed to a task or purpose in life in order to help me gain knowledge. That way I am able to help all children and families from diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds across the world. You’ll have been a great inspiration, encouragement, support and respectful colleagues. Also, providing excellent information, insights and new ideas that help me to accomplish and be successful in obtaining my goals in life in order to continue on my professional path. 
Thank you, for reading my post and for your excellent feed back and listening to my voice and inspiring my heart. Lastly, providing me the willingness, excellent insights and perspectives on how to move forward in my specialization courses.

P. S. If you wish to share your contact information so you can stay in touch and continue to encourage and support each other as you move through the program you can contact me at This email address below;

 vpickrom@hotmail.com or through my blog link   http://abeginnersblog59.blogspot.com

Thank you

Sincerely,

Herleen

The Five stages of team development

The aspects of the groups in which I have been involved pursing my Master of Science degree consisted of forming group development of negotiation within an open group discussion between members of the group were the hardest to say good-bye to. The groups in which I was placed in made me feel welcome and comfortable with trusting, respecting and supporting my identity and culture differences by sharing ideas and opinions when combining our skills and knowledge, personal experiences and perspectives towards the goals of the group without having any conflict of interest between one another within the discussion. Therefore, considering adjourning stage each group member response to another group member post in which there may be an agreement or a disagreement of the determination of the outcome of the task.

     The high-performing groups are the hardest to leave because of the accomplishments as a team, we gained a passionate attitude to other’s feelings within the group have established norms of expected behaviors of group members to be accepted. In which, group members develop a combination of skills and knowledge to work together towards the group goals in which builds a strong group to have positive outcomes. However, the groups with the clearest established norms set the pattern of evidence for the effectiveness of the task to reflect on individual’s group member’s physical challenges, accomplishments and cooperation in exchange personal perspectives. To which each group member learns about insights about the diversity of the world from different ethnic backgrounds personal and professional experiences with the assign task. Furthermore, the groups I participated in which was the hardest to leave were the groups who value other group members and showed dedication, determination, respect, support, trust, kinship, and unlimited positive feedback towards working together as a group.

     The reason why these groups were the hardest to leave because they showed compassion for one another and the willingness to help other group members to accomplish being successful. The sorts of closing rituals I have experienced or wish I had experienced where based on the steps in between each other differences may have experience forming, group members move into the storming stage. In which, the individual group member may have begun to experience conflicts of interest over issues relating to what they may felt was value or an interest within the task. Such as, not participate in responding to a particular post maybe because some group members may have felt it wasn't interesting as the other member post, therefore, that group member may have been voted off. I imagine that I will adjourn from the group of colleagues I have formed while working on my master's degree in this program because I have accomplish knowledge and skills about why is adjourning an essential stage of teamwork and I can use this knowledge to gain future accomplishments in reaching my goal in life and helping other individual reach their individual goals within their lives.

Reference:

O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction (2nd ed.). New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Conflicts Resolution

                                                     

    I have recently experienced a conflict at my current job between a staff person and myself. I was placed in a classroom with a teacher who had been there for two years working in the classroom by herself. However, the director needed two teachers per classroom in which I was the lucky person who was hired for the position. The conflict raised when I decided to set the table for the children. I just wanted to be a team player and do my share of the work load and not leave all the work up to the other teacher to perform by herself.However, she watches me set the table and after I was done placing everything on the table, she walk over to the table and pick up all the dishes and silverware. After the children laid down to take a nap and felt to sleep, I said, "Did I do something wrong" and she said, "to me this is the way I like for the table to be set". I said Okay. Next, I said, "I like to put up some pictures on the walls that I believe the children will like I am a very good artist" and she said to me, "you don’t need to focus on putting up any pictures that’s the last thing you need to worry about".

     Furthermore, she said you can go and get the sheets out of the dryer while the children are sleeping. I realized at this point that she was treating me unfair and she didn't want to talk to me because I try to address my concern and she ignored me. Therefore, on my break, I ask to speak to the director and informed her of the problem. I let her know that I am a teacher and I wasn't her teacher assistant.The director agrees with me and address the problem by having a meeting with the both of us. However, that didn't change anything, the other teacher insisted on treating me as if I was her personal assistant and wouldn't let me do circle time or anything for the children without intervening me from doing my job. Therefore, I ask if I can be placed within another classroom and my request was accepted by the director.   

       I was placed in a classroom with a teacher who appreciated my skills and I have been working with her for two years and we share the workload and we have a loving fun learning environment for the children in which we serve. The two strategies I have learned about that might help me manage or resolve the conflict more productively, and why these strategies might be effective. For example, I should have respected her feelings by asking her opinion about how she set the table and not assume my way was the correct way to set the table. Furthermore, I should have observed how she demonstrated the daily routines in which she used within your classroom that help meet the individual needs of the children. For example, I could have used reciprocal and asked her if she would like to have a meeting during nap time about how we could work together as a team to ensure a positive atmosphere and freedom of self-expression for the children and share the responsibility of our job. I could have been responsive to speak to the director to assistance me concerning this problem. Therefore, I realized within my workplace if I cannot discuss a problem with my co-worker and work out a solution between us in order to resolve the problem. I learned to ask for responsive interactions with management to resolve whatever conflict that may have occurred to find a peaceful solution to the disagreement between us within the workplace.

     I learned to address the problem right away to the individual, but in a respectful and fair way by applying the 3 R’s respects, reciprocal and responsive interactions management so that the conflict want to escalate to a bigger problem. The reason why these three prospective are effective is because it helps me to acknowledge the validity of diverse perspectives and provide an equal voice for those perspectives by observing my own personal views and beliefs and other individual views and beliefs and how they may affect interactions with others within my environment. Also, it help me to be reminded that everyone don’t think the same or do things the same way that is why it is better to ask questions about something you don’t know than to assume you know something you don’t have personal knowledge about in order to understand other individual differences in life. According to, Gouran (2003) “the ways to fostering a more positive experience with one or more groups as follow; 

Avoid dominating another person or group.

·
     Stay focused on the task the person or group must accomplish.

·    
      Be friendly.

·      Show sensitivity to and respect for other members.

·      Demonstrate that you value other’s opinions.

·      Cooperate with other members rather than compete with them.”

(O’Hair & Wiemann, 2012, p. 269).

WK 4 Blog : Who am I as a communicator?

The similarities between how I evaluated myself as to how I believed I communicated with others’ where the same pertaining to scale scores of my evaluation of communication anxiety Inventory. For instance, my family scores and my colleague were in the same range within the scale scores, in which were between; 25-31. I was very surprised to see that their viewpoint on how I communicate with others in general was consider to be effective communication within the same context in considering the scores in which they reported indicated “I feel comfortable communicating in most situations and feel confident in anticipating such encounters.”

However, there was a slight difference in what my self-verbal aggressiveness scale reported and between my family member score. For instance, I gave myself a score of 64. However, my family member gave me a score of 73 in which, indicated I was moderate in which I maintain a good balance between respect and consideration for others. I am surprised to see that the scores were different. I never realized that I was viewed differently by my family in opposed to my perspective I never realized that my family would view me different than what I thought about myself. For instance, according to the self-evaluation chart the score my family member gave me placed me to be verbal aggression in which consisted of me being significant with little provocation, I might cross the line from of “ argumentativeness, “ in which attacks a person’s position or statements, and verbal aggression, which involves person and can be hurtful to the listener.

However, I disagreed on the difference because my family member who evaluated me knows how to push my buttons in which gives me no other choice but to defend myself from being disrespected and insulted considering I am the parent and she or he may be an adult but they shouldn't cross the line of self-verbal aggressiveness scale.

What surprised me the most my colleague viewpoint was within the same scale range as myself who viewed me to feel comfortable in communicating in most situations and feel confident in anticipating such encounters.” However, taking inconsideration that I share a different type of relationship between my family members than with my colleague I can understand the context of having to different viewpoints. I feel good about what learned about how other individuals might view myself verbal-aggressiveness within different context of judgment than myself.

Therefore, upon evaluation of my listening styles profile we all shared the same similarities in thought considering my profile placed me in group 1. “In which, states I am empathetic and concerned with the emotions of others. This listening style helps me to build trustful and respectful relationships, but it can interfere with proper judgment because I tend to be very trusting of others. Why? I am surprised because I sometimes think when I am speaking to a family member or a colleague they are not listening to everything I am saying to them within having a conversation with them that will be effective and consider to be competent communication. Why? Because they might at time dominate the conversation and I sometimes feel I don’t have an opportunity to be heard. This is consider to be unfair treatment in which cause conflict and misinformation to be taking out of context.

In conclusion, considering how each might inform my professional work and my personal life I have learned from this self-evaluation I must be consider of others feelings upon effective and competent communication. Furthermore, it might inform me to realize it is a give and take situation in which I learn everyone deserves a right to speak and be heard in order to build healthy effective competent communication and strong leaderships and relationships within our society.

Week 3- Blog Communication with people from diverse cultures

                                                      

     When I think about the cultural diversity within my workplace, I think about exchanging appropriate information to welcome all cultural primary language so that children, parents and staff will feel comfortable within a multicultural setting that consist of two teachers who speaks Spanish and English. The majority of the children and their families in my workplace consist of Hispanic families and staff in which most of them are bilingual. Therefore, I take in consideration of all the aspects that make up a culture, including “race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, and varying abilities." For instance, the different ways I communicate differently with people from different groups and cultures or with a disability consist of English and Spanish considering both languages when using interpersonal communication involving verbal and non-verbal communication. For example, I will use positive words, cues, gestures, sign language, written documentation, music, books, pictures and offer an interpreter if needed. Therefore, I take in consideration towards another individual feelings and I value their opinions and ideas. I show respect, sensitivity, compassion and a sense of humor at all times to encourage interaction among the children and their families and co-worker’s. 

     For instance, I listen, observe, focus, empathize and respect and think before I speak in order to deliver effective communication. I will welcome, a comfortable, fun and positive communication within the environment by sharing stories are age appropriate jokes and giving respectful complement’s upon stating it is a pleasure to have your child in our classroom and saying thank you for sharing your opinions and ideas when communicating with the children, parents, staff and my supervisor. I use effective communication by respecting their feelings and acceptance of their differences and similarities in freedom of self-expression when sharing information. The different ways I communicate differently. For example, a parent enters my classroom to drop off her child to school. I greet the parent and child with a smile and I ask open ended positive questions. How are you doing today, to let the child, parents, staff and my supervisor know I am here to address any concerns they may have by giving them my full attention and direct eye contact with a smile to make the parent and child and others to feel comfortable within their environment in order to build a trustful relationship.

     In addition, if the family primary language is English I will greet the parent and child with a smile in English. “Good Morning” Ms. or Mr. Garcia how are you doing today? I am glad Bill is here today he is a smart child and a good listener who plays very well with the other children". However, if the parent and child primary language is Spanish I will greet them in Spanish with a smile, and say “Buenos dais." Ms. or Mr. Garcia. When considering I am not fluent in Spanish showing respect for their culture by making the child and their family member feel welcome I chose to learn how to greet them in their primary language. 

However, at home, I used formal and sometimes informal language with my family and friends called "Slang Language" but in playful ways. For instance, my girlfriend or boyfriend call me on the telephone and said "what are you doing today" I will say " just chilling” or "Let’s Roll " I might call them by their nickname What's going on Slim or Big Baby. 

    Therefore, Slang Language is just a figure of speech. Therefore, out of respect for other individuals feelings I don't use vulgar language what is described in the dictionary that may be used by other individuals when communicating in which it may consists of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal, are more common in speech than writing, and are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people. Therefore, when I am in the workplace I will communicate using the formal language in which I conduct myself in a professional at all times, However, there are times I use a sense of humor to encourage other people it okay to smile are laugh within a workplace, you should be able to interact in a fun loving environment and not take everything so seriously.Therefore, when I communicate with my co-workers or supervisor, I don't use Slang Language and I stay away from bias remarks because, I don't want the conversation to be taken out of context in which may can cause a misunderstanding or destroy trustful relationships.

     The three strategies I could use to help me communicate more effectively with the people or groups I have identified will consist of the following; 

1st. Using positive interaction to model communication that the exhibits respectful communication between sender and receiver that incorporates positive feedback in waiting for the appropriate time to speak. For example, listen and think before speaking about what the person is saying before asking open end questions about what you don’t understand but be polite to the individual by respecting their feelings

2nd. Make sure I show interpersonal communication using positive and respectful verbal and non-verbal communication when speaking to an individual so they will know they are being heard and you care about what they are saying and avoid bias remarks.  3rd. Used communication, cognition may or may not consist direct eye contact however, it is to be observed and thoughtful of other individual feelings when communicating to listen and interpreted before offering feedback.  

Week 2 Blog-My Sister's Wedding

                                                    

                                                   My Sister’s Wedding  

    This episode was based on relationship experiences between a couple who loves one another and finds out there are some hidden secrets about the groom pass that cause the bride to call off the wedding ceremony. The interference between the oldest sister,groom and her youngest sister who was getting married fines out the oldest sister from out of town had a one night stand with her groom 10 years ago during the time they attended college together. Therefore,all three character's showed ambiguous hurt feelings for each other that consisted of nonverbal communication in which facial expressions and body movements consisted of blinking, stammering, or hesitations in speech in which indicated deception.

   
      In addition, verbally crying and latching out negative words towards each other that cause frustration, distrust, dishonesty,disrespect and lack of support from the oldest sister and her fiance.Furthermore, his fiance felt betrayed by the groom who had been interment with her older sister and called off the wedding. The groom hided secrets about his pass relationships with other women in which he never mention to fiance. The character’s relationships are based on family, friends and other individual's who had been effected by not communicating openly about their pass relationship’s and how it can affect a person's life. Furthermore, it is best to  forgive one another and trust one another and love the person for whom they are as an individual in order to have a healthy relationship and partnership.The assumptions that I thought about the characters and the plot was based on interpersonal communication consisting of exchange of verbal and nonverbal messages between two individual honesty towards being respectful and understanding and listen to one another opinions and to keep an open line of communication between one another had been influenced by other individual's that affected  the couple to have a healthy, trustful and honest relationship.
         For instance, relationship's should welcome appropriate communication in order to feel comfortable with the person you are in a relationship and partnership, such as family member's, friends and people within your environment.The assumptions that I would have made about the couple would be based on being more considerate towards other individual feels when communicating and to be passive towards building a trustful and honest relationship and to keep an open mind about present and pass relationship with friends and family members by sharing opinions about how hidden secrets can affect the love you have for another person. Furthermore, individual’s negative behavior can effect a person throughout life, triggering aggression and making it hard to trust and be honest to another individual. I learned, it is important to listen, think, and ask questions about a person, so you can learned about that individual and gain a better understanding when communicating verbal or non verbally before jumping to conclusions about an individual ideas, opinions,and offer suggestions.To be honest and keep a positive open line of communication and forgive and accept a person individual differences in order to build a strong healthy relationship and partnership with the people within your environment.

Reference:

Written, produce and directed by Paul D. Hannah

Wk 1 Blog- Competent Communication

In reference to demonstrating competent communication with a particular context and use responsible thinking when speaking effectively would be my Godmother, Ms. Runnels. She demonstrates respect when communicating to family members, friends, and myself. For example, When I wanted to continue my education and I didn't have the self confidence I needed to peruse my education. She told me, "You can do whatever you put your mind to do just go back to school and focus on achieving your goal." Furthermore, She has taught me that education is the key to success. Therefore, with the ability and my disability I am now perusing my Mater's degree. I would want to model what she has shared with me. The willingness to share information, listen to other's opinions, and feelings all while using reasonable thinking. I want to make something of my life and by understanding, respecting, and influencing others I know that I am able to accept responsibility for to my unique characteristics. Also, I will achieve a higher education and have the opportunity to learn how to use ethical communication and the importance of the fundamental ways of using responsible thinking and decision making. In order, to develop positive relationship to help children and families well being within their communities.

Wk-8 Blog-Professional Hopes and Goals

Week 8-Blog: Professional Hopes and Goals

The one hope that I have working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is to develop a positive relationship and partnership with their community by developing an educational program for young children and their families. A educational program that will have young children and their families to participate in learning about social visibility or invisibility of children and families from diverse cultures. The program will be called “There’s Always Hope” in which, will contribute to the well-being of the diverse children, a lesson to be learned from each other through partnership connection about respecting families diversity. The program will be scheduled for the evenings after school and on weekends for at least one hour. The children, parents, staff, community of volunteers will be able to participate and volunteer to interact and collaborate with each other by being placed with another family other than their own family members from other diverse cultural background. They would role play education activities that will redirect children and families from diverse cultures. That way they are able to become knowledgeable and understanding of the uniqueness of diversity within their environment. This program will consist of age appropriated lessons about one’s own social identity relating to “Ism” redirecting the differences of diverse cultures by learning from one another ideas that will embrace compassion, encompasses, acceptance and respect of a safe, nurturing, positive outcomes providing opportunities of excelling in equality education. Therefore, the redirection of children and their families to have a fresh start forming a positive attitudes about other cultures values and beliefs. The “Ant- Bias Education for young children and ourselves will consist of positive scripts consisting of children and families of diverse cultures participating in role play and activities. The lessons will consist of positive role playing engaging with other families by using life experiences using ideas, opinions, creativeness, exploration, literacy, language, books, toys, music, art and self-expression and positive, open end questions that will welcome diverse children and families to feel comfortable, respected and supported throughout their personal journey. The objective is to redirect internalized oppression and encourage and motivated children and families to value everyone's differences in order to receive respect so they can move beyond discrimination in a positive way in order to become productive and successful within their choice of endeavors throughout their lives and given respect, support, trust within society towards another individual social identities within their community. One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to start educating our children and families about “Anti-Bias education for young children and families and ourselves. We would achieve this by implementing positive open-end questions, ideas and opinions within the curriculum, books, and other resources to accommodate and use within every early childhood education programs. These resources about the children and families from diverse cultures that will help them to identify with themselves as well as others to establish equal equality opportunities in the educational field. A special thanks to my colleagues who gave such excellent insights throughout this course it has been a privilege and you are a gift to me by respecting and supporting me throughout my journey. Thank you for being a positive influence within my life experience. All of you are awesome and I have the up most respect for each and every one of you Thank You Sincerely,

Welcoming Families From Around the World

                     

The name of my family’s country of origin is Nigeria. According to, the history Nigeria is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Nigeria in the north. Its coast in the south lies on the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean.” en.wikipedia.org

The five ways in which I will prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family is listed below:

·         To establish a kind and respectful relationship and partnership in serving the children and families with diverse and cultural contexts within their community. Furthermore, having an open line of communication, listening and learning about their perspectives, experiences and knowledge. Therefore, I can be positively responsive,sensitive and honest  about any concerns, ideas, and beliefs they may like to share about their cultural uniqueness. In other words, I will welcome them to share their opinions when I accommodate children and families with or without a disability or ability from diverse cultures to met their individual needs and goals in cognitive, physical and emotional learning and development.

        For instance, I will offer diversity educational activities consisting of math, science, health, language and literacy, art and music that provides diversity books, dolls, farm animals, a barn, family portraits, table toys such as Lego’s, diverse play clothes, hats and play food pictures posted within my classroom setting.

·         To explore and interact with the children and their families by providing a positive understanding of their differences and similarities by valuing their languages, cultures and life experiences. For example, encourage collaboration by having an open group discussion consisting of them sharing ideas, creativity using open end questions. For example, Jill, what do you like to play with today?  What do you like to eat? What song do you like to sing? What did you draw or paint?
              To be honest in providing positive feedback when offering information and resources that don’t discriminate against their race, ethnic, cultural, gender or religion but be sensitive towards their culture values and morals within their environment. For example, what would you like to play today?  What do you like to play with at home?

·         To be supportive towards a safe, healthy, nurturing, comfortable, inviting diversity environment that offer solutions to participate and have access to equal equality education and opportunities to excel  in their lives throughout society. For example, encourage “Betty” carrots are good for your skin, eyes and teeth they help you to be strong like mommy and daddy.

·         To be committed to children and families by providing a caring multicultural learning environment of parents, staff, children and peers engagement. That way they could experience freedom of self-expression, creativity to be able to participate in the early childhood program broad membership consisting of collaboration about their concerns or ideas and opinions about the criteria, curriculum, code standards, school readiness program, interest and desires for their child goals in educational field.

For example, invite children and families to interact and eat dinner together that will encourage collaboration in parent meetings, school events and field trips to volunteer in the classroom. By bringing something from home they would like to shared verbally or show that welcome their cultural identities within their community.   

·         A brief statement describing in what ways I hope that these preparations will benefit both the family and myself. These preparations will benefit the family and myself to establish a healthy, safe, positive, honest and friendly interesting relationship and partnership. By understanding and learning from each other how to appreciate our differences and similarities of different but equine lifestyles.

Reference:

en.wikipedia.org

http://www.unicef.org/nigeria/children_

Blog wk 6: The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

The memory I have of an incident that I experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as fictional ones, such as movies,books, television shows happen on the south side of town where I live in San Antonio, Texas between the year of 1979-1984. I was in my early twenties when I first unravel my privileges and oppressions when enter into a beauty Salon in my neighborhood. However, I thought that cosmetologists provided services that include caring for cosmetic condition of all types of hair, skin and nails. Therefore, I wanted to get my hair permed, so I walked into the beauty salon and I asked the hair stylist if she could put a perm on my hair and she said to me “take off your hair scarf”. So I did, and she said to me, “we don’t do that type of hair at this salon”.I remember looking around the room at the majority of client’s were Hispanic .Everyone was staring at me and I felt so uncomfortable and embarrass to be aware of the fact that I was a target of racism identity.

 I was mistreated as a person based on my self-confidence of being an African American woman. I felt at the time that I had no limitations based on categorization of my personal choice and personal growth.The hair stylist discriminated against me because of my physical appearance. I was viewed as a member of a non-dominant person or group of people of color in which she felt she doesn't want to participate in serving within her institution. Furthermore, keep in mind the one time I encounter such incident in real context, including online environments, as well as fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows. I realized this wasn’t the first incident about hair stylist that I had witnessed within my life who chooses what type person hair they chose to work on based on social identity, this type of personal side of bias, stereotyping, prejudice and oppression have existed and still exist within today’s society.

For example, I watched a movie on television name “Beauty Shop” The African American women had open a beauty salon and she hired a Caucasian woman and an African American man to work in her salon. The other African American women hair stylist was happy to get extra help and said it’s about time you hire someone to help out in the salon. However, when the owner introduces the new hair stylist who was a Caucasian they became very upset with her after they found out the lady was Caucasian women and said “Oh, no” we are not working with her and we see what you are trying to do by hiring a white girl, you trying to turn this shop in a white beauty salon.  She doesn’t know anything about black people hair.” The owner begged them to give her a chance and said she was a very creative hair stylist. However, two of the

African American women quit and walked out refusing to work with the Caucasian woman.

Later that night the owner had a celebration and invited all her hair stylist and they were at a club when a very handsome black man came over at the table and asked the Caucasian woman to dance instead of the black women. However, after she left the table some of the black women said “Did you see that all of us beautiful black woman sitting at this table and he pick the white girl to dance with him?”

The ways the specific bias, prejudice and /or oppression in these two incidents diminish equity consisted of institutional prejudice and discrimination of unfair treatment based on social identity of a Caucasian woman who was a target of an injustice act upon another person or group of people of a different race.        

However, these two incident bring up feelings of self-hate consisting of internalized oppression about another individual belief can engage in behavior of self-reflection essential to be anti-bias when stereotyping someone’s social identity. According to, “Internalized oppression or inferiority based on social, psychological consequences for people or a person belonging to more than one society, identity groups who experience any of the many faces of institutionalized prejudice and discrimination, such as limited access to opportunities or resources and constant negative messages about their groups.”Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 26 par 4).In addition, “Internalized oppression is a feeling or belief that the negative messages are true. It is learned behavior that is a response to institutionalized racism, sexism, classism, and the other isms. Which have undermined the sense of self.” Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 26 par 4).

In other words it means when a person or a group of people stereotypes about one’s own group, or identifying with a different (usually the dominant) culture’s standards of beauty regarding hair color, eye shape, body size, or skin tone as being “better” than their own group’s standards.” Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 26 par 7) According to, “How we feel personally about social identities may stand in opposition to the social realities of advantage and disadvantage.” Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 27 par 5). “For example,social discrimination and negative messages about being working class do not necessarily stop people from being personally proud of their working- classfamily background.” Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 27 par 5). 

Reference:

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Blog: Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

                 

Describe at least one example of a microaggressions which you detected this week or remember from another time. 

When describing one example in which I detected microaggressions this week was an incident that occurred at my place of employment with a nutrition aid worker and myself. I am an African American woman and I work with a Hispanic woman together we are early childhood development teachers. In our early child development center we are required to work with eight children who ages are two years old in the classroom. In which, we are required to have a family style setting during meal time. It was lunch time and we began preparation for lunch. Once we sat down at the table to eat the food I tested the chicken and realized that the nutrition aid worker at our site must be unaware she had prepared spoiled chicken.Therefore, I immediately told the other teacher and children that the chicken was bad and it will make them sick if they ate the chicken. I quickly removed the spoiled chicken from the children’s plates and took the bowl of chicken and informed the director to smell the chicken, because it smelled bad and maybe it was spoiled. I understand that I didn’t report to the nutrition aid worker what had occurred, because she and I had a disagreement before between us, therefore I didn’t want a confrontation with the nutrition aid again. So I reported to the director my concern regarding the incident about the chicken and the safety of the children health.

The director addresses the problem to the nutrition aid worker after she witnesses for herself by smelling the chicken and detecting it was bad and informed staff about the incident. The director and other staff agreed with me and disposed the chicken immediately.

Next, the nutrition aid returned to my classroom and confronted me and said, “I cook this chicken this way all the time”. Which I said,” it’s nothing wrong with the way you cook it’s that the chicken smell bad” and she looked directly at me while the other teacher was present in the classroom and said to me “maybe you are just tried of chicken”.

For instance, there is another teacher working in the classroom with me who is Hispanic like herself and had also detected that it was something wrong with the chicken. Therefore, I thought to myself why would the nutrition aid worker approaches me and directly made the remark that created a racial microaggressions remark about the chicken. 

According to, Dr. Sue “There are times when verbal behaviors create feelings of uncertainty, inferiority or marginalization even though no offense was consciously intended. Such behaviors are called microaggressions.” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). I am a black woman and I admit I love to eat chicken and I love to eat other meat as well, such as seafood, beef, and occasionally pork. However, her remark consisted of a brief everyday indignities which are communicated intentionally or unintentionally to people of color.

In what context did the microaggressions happen? 

What did you think and feel when you observed the microaggressions or when you found yourself as the target of a microaggressions? 

The context of microaggressions happen was that the concept of racial microaggressions took place in this particular incident. I was offended when I found myself as the target of a microaggressions. My first thought was what did she meant by saying maybe you are tired of chicken.In addition, I felt insulted because I wasn't sure why she would say such a thing directly to me and not say anything to the other teacher who was present in the classroom who also, address her concern about the chicken smelling bad.

I thought why did she pick me and I thought immediately that the nutrition aid remark and behavior created feelings of stereotyping people of racial microaggressions. That consisted of unsettling emotions in others, even though it may or may not have been intended or unintended on a conscious or unconscious level. However, though out the day I felt very uncomfortable, because of the hidden message that I felt was being communicated to me. “And that hidden message that many Asians and Latinos experience is a message that you are a perpetual foreigner in your own land. Now these two minor examples are indicators of what I call racial microaggressions.” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). 

According to Dr. Sue “ Microaggressions are brief everyday indignities, May be verbal, behavioral, or environmental, Are communicated intentionally or unintentionally to women, to people of color, to gay/lesbians that have an insulting message behind them often time causes severe psychological distress and harm.” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).

“That’s what we mean by a racial, gender, sexual orientation microaggressions.” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). “They can be based upon any marginalized group in the United States.” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).

 In what ways did your observation experiences this week affect your perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people? 

The ways my observation experiences this week affect my perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people perceives my thought is no matter who, what, where and why you may be conscious or unconscious of racial, gender, sexual orientation microaggressions will always exist day in and day out. I learned microaggressions is a learned behavior that is intentionally or unintentionally portrayed by individual attitude towards a person, place or a thing. In which, they might have mixed emotions about how they feel about a person who are in situations that may have been exposed throughout life experiences within their environment at an early age of growth and development.

For example,a little girl in my classroom who is an Asian child was given three African American puppets a man, women, and child and her teacher who is a Hispanic said to me, “Herleen watch this” and she held up each puppet and showed them to the child. 

The first puppet was a man and the teacher said to the child who is this and the little girl said,” daddy”. 

Next, the teacher held up the women puppet and said who is this and she said, “Herleen”.

When the child was shown the child puppet the teacher asked her who is this and the little girl didn’t answer, but the little boy who was Hispanic age two years old stood next to her said, “that is me”. 

Therefore, children at an early age grow up to become an adult develop a learned behavior based on what they personally experience at an early age during grow and development. These behaviors can develop into behaviors called microaggressions. In which affect people by gender, race, age, height, Wight, disability, ability and even sexual orientation does excise day to day and day in and day out of people lives experiences learn within their environment will encounter a situation that will consist of microagressions.

Reference: 

(Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).

Blog Assignment: Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

 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? 

In reflection to the aspects of culture and diversity, along with hard and soft cultural diversity that I have studied in this course and how it relates to social identities based on their personal experience and characteristic’s inherent as a tradition involving the dominant cultures empowerment referring to the spiritual, political, social, or economic expectations and individuals participation involving their ethnic background and ethnicity. I learned each individual within their own life environment and familyculture where similar but different depending on their tradition of who, what, where, when, and how things are done within a group of people during special events pertaining to beliefs, values and morals involving their personal experience within their lives. Furthermore, I learned that the aspects of their lives in which their inherent consisted of race, religion, class, language, age and gender relating to their own personal experience to participate and adapt to the changes in which their inherent from their ancestors was different from other individuals characteristic’s and perspectives in which they live their lives base of traditions within their family cultures life style.
 Which aspects have been omitted—and what are some examples of such omission?

 For example, An Hispanic women age 61 years old shared her personal definition of cultural and diversity as things that going on in the world today in celebration of the Battle of Flowers Fiesta parade, the Alamo and African Americans participation Black History Month. Involving religion relating to freedom speeches, music, soul food, singing and dancing to music relating to their family culture and beliefs. Furthermore, the Hispanic celebrates in the fifth of May in which is called in Spanish and in English it is called May the fifth in the United States and in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is called El Día de la Batalla de Puebla. Also, in English the holiday is called The Day of the Battle of Puebla. Cino de Mayo is a tradition to cook Mexican foods, colorful clothes, Mexican music, dancing and songs in celebration of their inherence from their culture ethnicity. For instance, her perspective of what diversity was the different things she do for instance swimming, reading books hunting. Another example; given by an African American male stated his definition of culture to share beliefs, heritage, and his perspective of diversity was to have different lifestyles consisting of different groups of people involved in Hip Hop culture. For instance, his perspective on relating to diversity consisted of different ethnic groups participating in the same events such as the workforce and holiday events. 

Furthermore, a young black male age 19 years old definition of culture was passing on a tradition relating to Hispanic culture, celebrating Cino de Mayo and African American people celebrating a black holiday that is in relationship to African vibe called Kwanza. For example; his definition of diversity consisted of a group of people participating in a Civil Right Movement were a group of people come together. For instance like the Freedom Riders.

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

The ways my thinking about other people’s definitions of culture just proves to me how the complex culture really is when relating to other individuals perspectives and definitions of what they think culture mean. However, I feel culture is about everything we do that involves our lifestyles and how we relate to traditions, beliefs and everyday environment pertaining to our lives with other ethnic cultures involving a diversity consisting groups of people values and morals and how that act upon what they believe.