Impacts on Early Emotional Development: My Hope for the Future

My most passionate hope for my future as an anti-bias educator in early childhood education is that I continue to grow in my comfort and expertise in working with children and families in my anti-bias classroom.  I hope that I continue to add to my strategies and practices so that I am the best role model, educator and communicator that I can be.  I hope that I do not stay stagnant and that I continue to grow and learn both from my colleagues and the children themselves.  I hope that my children and families have a strong enough relationship with me so that they can communicate with me when I have unknowingly shown stereotype and bias to someone in my classroom or community so that I can make adjustments to my behavior.  I hope that I am able to pass along my communication skills, interaction skills, knowledge of stereotypes and bias and other strategies onto both my students and families so that they can also become role models of anti-bias educators. 

As anti-bias educators, we cannot just accept the old adage that “children will be children”.  We cannot just think that if we just leave children alone and let them play that everything will be fine.  We owe it to our children to help them work through the bias and messages that today’s society sends to our children.  Data reveals that:  Children begin to notice differences very early and begin to construct classificatory and evaluative categories early, there are steps in identity and attitude development that overlap, stereotype and bias from society influence children’s self-concept and attitudes towards others.  Without our expertise and guidance stereotypes and bias will continue to negatively influence our children and families and the children and families they interact with.  

As our time together ends, I’d like to thank my colleagues for their support, guidance and honesty through this course.  This course has made me think deeply about my own stereotypes and biases towards others along with my discomfort in working with certain groups.  It was very scary “putting it out there” not knowing how my colleagues would accept my innermost feeling and behaviors. However, it was refreshing knowing you all accepted me for who I was.  I was also eye opening that many of us have the same thoughts, feelings and behaviors.  Thanks for being who you are now and who you are working towards being as we grow! Best of luck in the future (Pelo, 2008)!  

Pelo, A. (Ed.). (2008). Rethinking early childhood education. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking    Schools.


Comments

  1. CulturalSeshatApril 26, 2019 at 8:08 AM

    Good Morning Jill-
    I think that you point out an interesting fact here that we as educators must always step out of our comfort zone in order to really have real conversations with real people, and get into the heart of the topics and issues that are really important within our children's early educational development. I think that when we really sit down and talk with not just the children, but the families within the classroom and surrounding community, we will have a less tendency to be passive towards their thought-processes and concerns, and more interested in problem-solving to the best of our ability through the art of inclusion! I truly hope that your efforts are met with success and resolution-enhancement within the classroom as it will continue to mold you into an awesome teacher and professional! Great Post!

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