We Don't say that!!!


      I remember a time when I was walking through the park.  As I was walking my son I past a  group of people sitting on the grass it was a group on special needs teenages and theircounsilors having lunch.  As we walked by another little girl asked her mother what's wrong with them.  The mother quickly grabbed the girl by the hand and started pulling her away.  The little girl was crying while saying but mommy.....
      This little girl probably did not understand why she was in trouble.  Why her mother was mad, and still had no answer to what was different about those teens that she has never seen before.
     It is difficult, if not impossible, to clearly separate the influence of ethnocentric and racist attitudes heard or seen by young children in their contacts with parents, relatives, neighbors, other children, books, TV and movies from their lack of experience and egocentric thinking. It is also highly possible that what starts out as the latter can, with inappropriate handling, quickly become prejudice (derman-Sparks).
    As an educator there could have been a few ways to have handled the situation as a teachable moment.   Following up with exploratory questions to gain deeper understanding of the child's thoughts(Pelo 2010).  This can help to understand what the child is thinking so we can formulate proper responses to their questions.    
    Using conflict resolution strategies to help children, resolve incidents that involve being teased or rejected because of an aspect of identity.    Using the incident to help children understand the impact of their questions and remarks directed at people not in their immediate environment (Pelo 2010).    If were reenact the incident we can help children to understand how others may feel when targeted in conversation or questions.  
      Adults can help children of this age by making clear that this larger "family" relationship is permanent. Other guidance can include acknowledging a child's observations on racial/cultural identity, helping to sort out incorrect information and generalizations and giving corrective feedback about unfair and untrue depictions of people, expressions of prejudice or racial slurs. (Derman - Sparks ) Children have many questions we can not stagnate them from questioning but we do need to direct them to do so tactfully.  

      Derman-Sparks, Tanaka Higa, Sparks, Children, Race and Racism: How Race Awareness Develops, retrieved from teachingforchange.org

     Pelo, (2010), Rethinking early childhood education

Comments

  1. Jennifer JohnsonApril 15, 2018 at 2:49 PM

    Stephanie,
    Thank you for sharing your story with us. I am sure the mother of the little girl was more embarrassed than mad at her daughter because she knew that comment was rude and disrespectful. I think that incident was definitely a teachable moment for both the mother and child, and for the students with special needs and their counselors. If children are not exposed to varying groups of people who differ in ability, race, gender, language, or other cultural backgrounds differences, then the bias and the child's confusion and curiosity will remain. We must expose our children to diversity in our world. "While working with children to expand and correct their ideas, it is also important to be respectful of the intelligence that underlies their attempts to make sense of what they experience" (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010, p. 14).
    Jennifer

    Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Angela Davis, Early Childhood TeacherApril 15, 2018 at 9:00 PM

    Hi Stephanie,
    I agree that we can handled certain situation as a teachable moment, especially with young children. Our children are curious about things and people around them, when they ask questions. Therefore, as an educator, we need to be prepare to teach them the importance of anti-bias. When we expose children to cultural difference such as, race, gender, language, and social class, we can eliminate bias towards young children. Great Post!

    ReplyDelete

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