I first want to start out by thanking everyone for all of the comments, suggestions and insights throughout this course. I really feel like we learned a lot about prejudice and stereotypes that we did not expect to learn and I am happy that I got to share in this journey with all of you. I enjoyed reading everyone positions during the discussions and I really feel like I learned a lot from all of you!!! Good luck with your next courses and hopefully I will have more future courses with all of you!!
I have many hopes when it comes to working with families from diverse backgrounds because it is something I really feel like I am still learning and gaining knowledge about, but my one hope is that diverse families see me as someone who is trying to get to know them and their children and assist them with anything that they need. I love learning new things, especially about different cultures, and researching new places I may know nothing about (like my post on Uganda) and I hope all of the extra work I would be willing to put in for families helps create partnerships with them that will help their child do well in my care. I really like being able to help people and point them in the right direction if they need it, so I hope families see me as someone who is able to do this.
My goal for the Early Childhood field is to start recruiting more men to work in the field. I think this is something that is very much lacking in our field and it is something our children really need. Having a positive male role model in their lives at a young age is very important and it is also important for them to observe a positive relationship happening between male and female teachers, especially if this is something that is lacking in their home environment. The few men we have that work in our center or come to work with the children every now and again are loved by the children and I think it would be great for them to have this experience more frequently. With so many children in some kind of preschool or pre-k setting before they move on to more formal schooling, it is important to break the stereotype young children have that only women are teachers like so many of them currently believe. I am honestly not sure how to recruit these males to work with children at such a young age, but hopefully somewhere someone is coming up with solutions to this issue.
Amber I agree that there should be more men working in the field. I work with children in the afterschool program and I see the need for more males. There are young men and women who have no male figure in their lives at is almost like a missing link.
ReplyDeleteAmber, It has been an honor working with you, as well.
ReplyDeleteI, too, share the desire to see more men in this field - and just like we have been discussing these last many weeks, if we can step past the stereotypes this will become a reality! You're right that so many of our children need that positive role model and modeling of healthy relationships.
Hope to meet you again in a future course.
Amber,
ReplyDeleteYou and I share the same hopes of recruiting more men into the field of education. it would make a tremendous difference. I think a lot of males are intimidated my the image they see for a classroom teacher, But if we could find a way to show them that it is only an image and the difference it would make I'm sure we could get more males on board.Im glad that you shared this point of view on your blog. Great post and best wishes to you on all of you future endeavors!
Amber,
ReplyDeleteOur profession really does need more men. I work in a center where the only men are the custodians. I think children have better behavior if there is a man. I have witnessed firsthand that when one of my dads visits the classroom, the children act better. All of them want him to interact with them. Our profession has been targeted as a profession for women for too long. Good Luck on your future courses. I hope we see each other again. I have enjoyed reading your posts and comments.
Amber,
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that we need more men working in the field. At my facility there is one man that works there, and he is great with the children. My son loves him, he interacts with them so good and the children gets so excited when he is around. The only downside is he can;t aid girls in the bathrooms and etc., so he is limited on what he could do as a teacher. A female teacehr has to be with him at all times. I enjoyed reading all your blogs and want to thank you for all the insights you provided to me over the past few weeks.
Amber,
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed reading your post. Thank you for sharing.
I wish you much success.
It is great respect that we have more male role models in the early childhood field. Imagine some children who do not have a positive male role model in their lives. I know of one young man who works with children and he does a fabulous job. My husband as well works with children as he coaches every sport there is when he has the time. The teams exists with girls and boys, not only does the children look up to him the families as well.
Again, just because people hear things about one specific male who has done things with kids, does not mean all males are the same. (micro-aggression) Every person deserves equal opportunity to do things.
Hi Amber,
ReplyDeleteVery good points in your post! One of the ideas that immediately stuck out to me is putting more males in the field. So many of our children come from single-parent households and the evidence of young Black male without a father figure or positive male role model available to them, is astounding. By putting male professionals who look like them in a position where they see them every day is something that is imperative to the state of progression for early childhood and education, overall.
I wish you much luck in the rest of your courses and hope our paths cross again during our time at Walden.
Amber,
ReplyDeleteI wish you all the best as you continue in the field of early childhood. You are absolutely right on having more men join in the early childhood family. I believe they will do such an excellent job, the few that I have worked over the years seem to have a better disposition with the young one.
Take care
Lisa