If I was working in a child care center and was told a child of a family from Russia would be emigrated into my program, in order to be culturally prepared for this family there are five ways that would help me to be more responsive to the needs of the child and their family. Being that the child is from Russia I would research the culture, religion, and traditions in Russia, as well as investigate how their school systems are set up. The second thing I would do is try to meet with the family to get more in depth back ground of the family’s culture and their beliefs. The third thing I would do is make sure that the family is involved with providing the classroom with things the child may be comfortable with from their own culture. The fourth thing I would do is encourage the child to embrace their own language and culture. Last but not least, I would allow myself to be open and honest towards the new child as well as the children who were in the center previously, by answering or addressing any questions or uncertainty the children may encounter about themselves and others
As a
professional it is important to research and learn about the children and
families you work with, this would give professionals a better idea of the
family’s country of origin. Letting families know that you have some knowledge
of where they are from, will allow the family to have comfort in feeling
accepted. Making efforts to meet with the family prior to the child attending the program opens
up dialect between the professional and the family so that they are able to
express what they want for their child, questions from both sides could be
answered, and you can go beyond the surface layers of the child and their
family. Talking with a child and their family about things they could bring to
the classroom that can represent who they are would allow the child to have
things that they are familiarize with while exposing the other children to
different cultures. Being open and honest with children when they are curious
about the identity of themselves and others is important because this can lead
to an opportunity to show that child that there are differences in themselves
as well as others.
Boutte,
G. (2008). Beyond the illusion of
diversity: How early childhood teachers can promote social justice. Social
Studies, 99(4), 165--173.https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201340_04/MS_MECS/EDUC_6164/Week%207/Resources/Resources/embedded/Boutte2008.pdf
Hello Steffanie,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I relate with your point that you would research into the way the Russian schools are setup.
Your entire post is very outgoing to ensuring that the child and family feel confortable and have a feel of acceptance. Thanks for sharing these points.
regards
Steffanie, I like how you said that you would encourage the family to provide items for the classroom to make the child comfortable. It is so important that children feel comfortable and welcomed into a new place, especially for children who are from a different country. How would you encourage the child to embrace their home language?
ReplyDeleteSteffanie, great posting. Definitely taking the time to research the background of the country of the child is a great idea. By doing so will definitely give you as the professional a jump start on how to interact with this child while creating a comfortable environment for he/she. You made great points in your posting that were knowledgeable and could be helpful as an early childhood professional. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDelete