Competent Communicators

Competent Communicators

For your blog this week, think of someone (e.g., family member, celebrity, politician, friend, or professor) who demonstrates competent communication within a particular context. What behaviors does this person exhibit that make him or her effective? Would you want to model some of your own communication behaviors after this person? Why or why not?

I have chosen Dr. Maya Angelou as the person who demonstrates competent communication because she enhances human worth and respects people no matter what or who you are. Dr. Angelou speaks from her heart and the wisdom she spreads comes from her experience and lessons learned from her parents and people around her.

 She is one of the most influential voices of our time. She is a celebrated poet, memoirist, novelist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist.  

I would like to share a video about her poem ‘The Mask’ which shows how competent she is in capturing her audience.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT9y9HFHpU0&feature=related.  She can send her message to people who oppressed other people in a positive way and earn their respect as well

I would like to model some of my own communication behaviors after Dr. Angelou because I would like speak from my heart and share the wisdom I have in sending the message that we are just equal. Nobody is better than nobody and we should respect each other’s differences and work towards a common goal.  Dr. Maya Angelou continues to stir our heart and souls, energizes our bodies and liberates our minds.  

Reference:

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT9y9HFHpU0&feature=related.

Professional Hopes and Goals

I just hope that families will continue to carry on the tradition, belief, culture and heritage to their children without having to worry about being discriminated or marginalized. Our families and children tend to lose or discontinue their culture because of the hidden biases, stereotyping and ethnocentrism of other culture.  Children deserve to grow up anchored in their family and heritage; I hope that I can help children strengthen their roots by knowing who they are, where they come from and what it means to be a person of their culture.

The one goal I would like set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity and social justice is to empower families and children to stand up for their rights and be heard. Be proud of their culture and at the same time embrace other cultures and find a common ground in creating an anti-bias environment where everyone is given an opportunity to be their own selves.

Just like our own heritage, traditions and beliefs were passed from generation to generation, as an early childhood educator; we should continue to set good examples to our children. We should treat them as individuals, let them express who they are, involve them in the process knowing their own identities and embrace them regardless of their race, color, gender and ethnicity.

I would like to thank all of you for joining me in this journey and I am wishing everyone’s success in your endeavor. May we all continue to collaborate and inspire each other to work for diversity, equity and social justice for the field of early childhood education.

Welcoming Families Around the World

This blog assignment for the week took me a while to search for the country of my origin. I searched through the internet about countries of the world and I did random selection. My family’s country of origin I chose is Tuvalu.

I learned that Tuvalu was comprised of nine small islands in the pacific, just a few miles away from the equator. The population was about 10,500 people. Their island started awareness campaign on reducing the use of gas emission to prevent the rising of earth’s temperature. When temperature rises, the water level also rises and when the water rises, their islands will be submerged in water. The threat of losing their islands in the future is possible and there will come a time that their country will be washed out on the face of the earth because their islands were just sixteen feet above sea level. These were just some of the information I gathered from the country I chose.

Ways in which I will prepare myself to be culturally responsive is by:

·         Conducting research about the country of origin and gathering as many information as I can from books, internet and other resource materials about their culture, beliefs, traditions, values and other practices. The more information I gathered the better it will prepare me when meeting them.

·         Interviewing and observing families and children will make them feel important, accepted and validated.

·         Acknowledging our differences and work towards the benefit of our families and children. 

·         Asking questions from families by gathering information directly from the children and families themselves.

·         Preparing a diverse center by making sure that children feel comfortable, safe and secure. Each center should represent different cultures. 

·         Integrating their culture to our environment. Plan and implement age appropriate activities that are reflective of our culture as well as theirs and work towards a common ground. Children should feel that their school is the extension of their home.

  

A balanced, respectful, integrated educational approach never sets one culture or group above another, but rather helps children gradually and naturally learn to appreciate the value of diversity within and among cultures (McCracken, 1993). Teachers along with children, families and the entire community can lead the way to fuller lives and a more harmonious world by incorporating diversity into children’s everyday experiences. 

Reference:

McCracken, J. B., 1993. Valuing diversity: the primary years. NAEYC, N.W., Washington, DC.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Last night I was reflecting if I ever had ever experienced bias, prejudice and or oppression in my life when I came here in America. I also talked to other people about this issue. I was surprised to hear that majority of the people from my culture mentioned that they actually experienced bias, prejudice and or oppression from people of the same culture as ours. My brother-in-law shared his experienced saying that when he is at work, he always request to be moved or moved the other person to another work station because they are the ones who makes him feel uncomfortable. He said he experienced being insulted and being judged by the way he look and the way he speaks the English language. They correct him all the time when he makes mistake in grammar and his accent. Unlike with Americans, they appreciate his work and give positive remark which makes him feel good about himself. 

This incident diminished equity because my brother-in-law is being excluded because he cannot speak the language well. He would rather avoid the situation than face it because he thinks that other people do not make a big deal out of it, although for him, it is insulting and embarrassing. He ends up excluding himself from others and vice versa.

   

It is saddening to hear that the people whom you expect to support and help you are the same people who put you down. Microaggression happens every day. In my brother-in-law case, it is not the dominant culture or other culture is causing it but the same group of people where he belongs. Since we grew up being submissive and resilient, sometimes we tend to just walk away or not mind at all.

I think the only way to stop people from oppressing other people is to start believing in ourselves, speak up and stand up for our rights. We need to let other people know us and understand who we are as a person of different culture, color, race and religion but just a person ourselves. For our part, we need to understand them too, find a common ground and accept each other for who they are only then can we achieve greater equity.