My hope is that what I have learned over the last 8 weeks will be the starting point for change in the lives that I affect. I hope that, through a commitment to equity and inclusion, I can facilitate can help to better the lives of ALL families that I serve with an awareness towards the unique needs of each and the discrimination or oppression that may underlie those needs.
A goal I would like to set for the field of early childhood education is a commitment to proactive rather than reactive equity and inclusion. If we are teaching and modeling anti-bias education every day from day one, we are communicating the importance of this to families, the communities we serve, and to the population at large. We don't have to wait for diversity to walk through our center doors before we begin teaching it's importance.
I would like to thank each of my peers/colleagues who have contributed to my learning and experience over the last 8 weeks. Your willingness to share vulnerable moments in your life related to discrimination has given each of us an opportunity for greater growth and empathy. Your compassionate and caring responses to one another reinforces the possibility of dismantling stereotypes, biases, discrimination and oppression. Thank you each for your thoughtfulness, your insights, your encouragement, and your kindness to one another. It's been an honor to grow and to share with each of you.
Hi Sarah
ReplyDeleteYes! Being proactive can make a huge difference on how we promote and embrace diversity in the field. One of our blog assignments asked us to prepare for a family from another country. While we cannot always predict where our families will come from, it was still somewhat of a reactive approach in preparation for their arrival. I think as leaders in the field if we can be more proactive and have systems already set in place, there won’t be this mad rush like we are cramming for a final every time diversity walks through the door. By expressing the importance early, and as a regular family, it will make for easier transitions for us and for our families. Thank you so much for all of your thoughts and comments. It has been a pleasuring sharing this experience with you. I have learned so much about myself and others through this course.