Reflection on Learning

 My most passionate hope for my future as an early childhood professional is that I will continue to reflect on myself throughout any new process that I come across.  By embracing reflection I am learning each and every day.  The wonderful thing about working in the early childhood field is that there is always more of an opportunity to grow as an educator.  My hope is that by continuing to push myself to learn I will continue to show my students as well as my students' families that I support them.  Being an anti-bias educator means embracing each culture of each student and making them feel as though they are not only heard but seen as well. 

I want to take the opportunity to say thank you to each and every one of my peers that I have been through this program with.  I feel as though each week you each have made me reflect deeper, and encouraged me to dig deeper into my education as an anti-bias educator.  I have been blessed to learn from each of you, and I hope that as you continue on this journey your love for this field continues to grow and develop as well.

Thank you!

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

 The area of the world that I chose to look at was Latin America and the Caribbean.  The reason that I chose this region of the world to look at is that many of my students come Latin American and Caribbean countries. 

Many children in these areas flee to Central America because of gang violence and death threats. Many others face an increased risk of domestic violence. Another big impact that children of this region experience natural disasters such as hurricanes that destroy their homes or towns, and are having difficulty receiving the care that they need, especially in times of COVID-19. 

These types of experiences are changing the ways that these children are developing emotionally as well as educationally.  They are uprooting their lives to flee to safer areas.  They may not know if they are truly safe wherever they go.  When children are uprooted they may halt their education as well.  This can have an effect on their wellbeing because they fall behind, or may not even continue their education in the future.  They are doing what they can in order to survive. 

As a teacher of students from these areas, it helps me to be a little bit more understanding of where some of my students stand.  It makes me want to stop and help them in any capacity that I can.  However, I know that I will never know the full extent of their situation unless they are comfortable.  Professionally, this makes me want to take steps to help students and their families in any way that I can in order to encourage emotional and educational growth. 

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

 Sexualization in early childhood is something that I have seen.  I have seen outfits that do not seem appropriate for children.  I have seen the encouragement of children having a "boyfriend or girlfriend" at a young age.  There are tv shows that are based on children dancing in skimpy outfits or wearing makeup. 

When children see these types of messages in advertising or on television they tend to think that they should act in the same manner.  In my own classroom, I have had children ask me about sex, and if I dress differently outside of school.  I have had a student tell me that I looked sexy in a dress that I wore to school.

Sexualization of children is occurring at younger and younger ages.  Sometimes there are things that have been glossed over because it is an uncomfortable situation to approach.

There are inappropriate things everywhere.  Some adults may think it is funny but it is leading to children thinking that it is okay.  As educators, we need to take a step back and look at what students are wearing or talking about.  In the end, I believe that it comes down to the safety of the children.  There are predators who look for this type of thing, and it is scary.

Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

 If I was to experience certain -isms in my personal life  I would probably be affected in a few ways.

1.  I would question if those same -isms come up in professional life.

2.  I would probably want to try to figure out why I was being judged on those particular -isms

3. I would reflect on if I have any of those same biases in my professional life.

It would affect me emotionally because I do know how it feels to be judged, and it is not a positive feeling.  Cognitively I would be thinking about it constatntly.  What did I do?  Is there something that I could change?

I think that the most important one in this situation is my reflection of my professional life.  My biggest fear is bringing my own implicit-biases into the classroom.  I know that it can happen, but I strive to think before I act.  If I was experiencing -isms in my own personal life it would definitely make me stop and think about what I am doing in my classroom as well.  Could I use my experience as a teachable moment? I like to stay as positive as possible in my professional setting, but I know everything can eventually take its toll.