Professional Hopes and Goals

Working with children who come from diverse backgrounds, I hope that I will be able to establish relationships with them that result from (and be the cause of) open communication about their backgrounds, culture, and needs. By developing a positive relationship with families, I will collaborate with them in order to effectively implement programs and methods that incorporate their culture to their child's education without limiting their potential development. 

Diversity and the importance of equity and social justice has been researched in many different areas and regarding various subtopics. With the immense information that is being researched regarding different learning difficulties, I think that further research can be done with regards to understanding key identifiers of different learning difficulties, how teachers can implement programs that embrace their differences whilst also assisting them in educational, emotional, and physical development.

I have had the advantage of studying alongside many different people with varying backgrounds and they have helped guide me and provide me with insights regarding early childhood that I am grateful for. 

Welcoming Families from Around the World

Given the opportunity to welcome a child and her family to a daycare would encourage me to do additional research if necessary. In this instance, I have determined that the child's country of origin is The Philippines. As I know very little about the country's traditions, religion, and citizen's mannerism, I would begin by researching it's history and common facts. To work effectively and create a positive relationship with the child and family, I would contact The Philippines' embassy where I reside. I would gain more information from the people that work there and would, additionally, inquire about a possible Filipino support community that exists in my area. Once being able to contact the support group, I would learn more from them, go to their gatherings, keep in touch with them throughout the child's education, as well as set up meetings for the family to join them in order to become more acquainted with surroundings, customs, and have a sense of family away from their home. I would have several conversations with the family to understand more about their family dynamic, which may also include dietary or learning concerns, social or health issues, and how I can best help support them when they arrive. I would also inquire directly with the family (once understood from other Filipino representatives that it is permissible to ask personal questions) as to any customary traditions that they would like to highlight with regards to, for example, gender or religion, thus allowing me to research further about these traditions and set up potential activities and celebrations upon their arrival. Preparing for a family's arrival would potentially create a welcoming environment where children can feel accepted. Children in the current daycare would be briefed about certain customs and the situation so that they are able to welcome the child to class without creating microaggressions. It would also potentially allow the family and me to establish a foundation where communication and dialogue positively influences the child's learning and education. Furthermore, I would be able to gain more knowledge about a community that could lead to greater cultural awareness for myself in general. 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice and Oppression

A large part of Cambodia's current development and the people's sense of being has been molded by Pol Pot's regime and the Khmer Rouge. Cambodia's citizens were forced into slave labour in the "killing fields" where many died from overwork, malnutrition and disease. Pol Pot's purge eradicated certain people that were discriminated against because of Pol Pot's own personal bias. These people included Buddhist monks, police, doctors, lawyers, teachers, and ex-soldiers together with their wives and children. The amount of power that Pol Pot was able to achieve combined with his prejudice against the educated and the wealthy allowed for great oppression and societal inconsistencies to occur. His acts created an equality among the remaining individuals alive but created destruction that excluded qualities of justness, fairness, and impartiality, thus diminishing the people's equity (Kranich, 2005).

When visiting Cambodia, the history of its people caused great internal perturb. However, despite the years of oppression and death, both old and young individuals were seemingly content and unfazed. As Cambodia can be seen as a developing country, many cultural and diversity issues are heightened with poverty, corruption, and lack of proper education. Certain actions can be done in order to limit the inequity within areas of Cambodia. For example, by eliminating corruption, the wealthy will not have a more dominating role and control compared to those less fortunate. However, this is a task that is difficult to pursue. Individually, one is able to narrow difference gaps in various groups by, for example, providing unbiased education with programs that does not exclude children of various backgrounds or household incomes.

Resources:
Kranich, N. (2005). Equality and equity of access : What's the difference? American Library Association. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/offices/oif/iftoolkits/toolkitrelatedlinks/equalityequity