THE SEXUALIIZTION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

In today’s society there is no surprise to what is being said or done in the early childhood setting.   I heard one child say to another child can I feel your butt.  She said why you want to feel my butt, he said cause that’s what my daddy does to my mommy, he touches her butt then they go to bed.   I went over to him and I said “D”, I can not tell you what you saw at home but I can tell you that here in the classroom we do not touch others in places they do not want to be touch.  I then reference the conversation back to a lesson we had on good touch bad touch and how we do not want people to touch us in places we call our private places that means.  He said well I saw my daddy do my mom like that.  I bet your father got permission from your mom to do adult things.  He then said so I got to wait until I am big to touch her butt.  I said, I am saying that you have to have permission to touch people’s body anywhere preferably when you get married and become an adult.

The next incident, I recall is a child, a young girl, coming to school in heels.  The little boy asked her why do you have on your momma’s shoes, and she stated that these are my shoes my momma brought me to wear in the pageant and I am practice walking in them.  The child had actually sneaked some of her mother’s shoes out of the house and changed on the bus.  Children are growing up really fast even at the age of five.

This week’s resource taught me how to  “ use what I do in early years to pave the way for staying connected with children when the stakes get higher in adolescence” (So Sexy So Soon, 2009, p. 7).

Reference

Levin, D.E., and Kibourne, J. (2009).  [Introduction].  So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood

                And what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved

                from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction

EVALUATING IMPACTS ON PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

The "ism" that I experienced when I was younger was that of the gender.  When I was younger my parents would tell me that girls did this and boys did that.  My parents always made a difference in what boys should be doing and what girls should be doing.  Even though I was considered to be Tom boy my parents still expected me to act like a girl and play with dolls, clean house, and do good in school.  I really liked playing sports, racing cars, and climbing trees.  Those are the things that I had to sneak and do when I my parents were working or during summer breaks when we would stay with a relative while my parents worked. 

If children today were governed by the ideas of girls being able to do this or boys being able to do that based on gender then we would see a lot of rebellious children.   I still see adults try to redirect students as they pick colors that teachers should be classified as girls or boys.  This action is wrong and is a form of gender "ism".  

OBSERVING COMMUNICATION

THE OBSERVATION THAT I MADE THIS WEEK WAS THAT OF MY COUSIN TALKING TO HER THREE YEAR OLD GRANDSON.
I WAS OUT SHOPPING WITH MY SON WHEN I RAN INTO MY COUSIN AND HER THREE YEAR OLD GRANDSON. THEY WERE IN THE AISLE WHERE ALL OF THE VALENTINE STUFF WAS AT. ON THE SHELF THERE WAS THIS BIG BROWN TEDDY BEAR THAT SONG YOU ARE SPECIAL. MY COUSIN GRANDSON WAS TELLING HIS GRANDMOTHER HOW MUCH HE NEEDED AND WANTED THAT BEAR. MY COUSIN LISTENED PATIENTLY (AND THAT IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR HER) AS HER GRANDSON TOLD HER WHY HE NEEDED THE BEAR. AFTER LISTENING TO HIM TALK SHE SPOKE AND SAID ‘K’, NANNY CAN NOT AFFORD TO BUY YOU THIS BEAR NOW, THIS WAS NOT APART OF THE DEAL WHEN WE CAME IN THE STORE, YOU TOLD ME YOU WANTED THIS BALL AND THAT IS WHAT YOU HAVE. REMEMBER NANNY TOLD YOU THAT WE DO NOT ALWAYS GET WHAT WE WANT AND THAT IF YOU CRY OR HAVE A TANTRUM THEN NANNY WAS GOING TO BE VERY HURT AND DISAPPOINTED, REMEMBER YOU TOLD ME YOU WHERE A BIG BOY AND BIG BOYS KNOW THAT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO WAIT ON THINGS WE CAN NOT ALWAYS GET WHAT WE WANT OR LIKE. KJ, LOOKED AT MY COUSIN AND SAID YES NANNY CAUSE YOU WANT ME TO BE A BIG BOY.
He looked very sad after that conversation with my cousin but he also appeared to understand what she was saying.
The most important point that I can relate to our reading that Stephenson made is that in order to communicate effectively we must be good listeners (2009). 　
　
Reference
Stephenson, A. (2009). Conversations with a 2-year-old. YC: Young Children, 64(2), 90-95. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete
　
Erica Hines

CREATING AN AFFIRMING ENVIRONMENT

If I ever have the chance to open my own child-care center, it would be one that when you walked in the door you would receive a comfort and an appreciation for diversity. In the hallways of each classroom there would be a get to “Get To Know Me” board located beside each classroom door. On the board a picture of each child would be posted along with a “All About Me” poster. On this paper you learn about the likes and dislikes of the people in the classroom, you also get a chance to learn some background history about the students. The ethnicity, gender, race, heritage, and other useful information. In the classroom I would incorporate a variety of books, pictures, and toys dealing with diversity. Everything would be labeled in English and of course a second language.
The students will be made to feel as if they are in a safe and secure environment by participating in setting the climates and class regulation for the room. As stated in the media section, Adrianna spoke about the quiet area or cozy area. This would be incorporated in the classroom because as adults, we sometimes want to be by ourselves and children sometimes feel the same way.

This would give them an opportunity to sort things out or reflect on the days event. My classroom would be very inviting. The children would have age appropriate equipment and learning manipulative. The students will also have free choice to chose whatever they want to play with or whatever color paper they want to use. All I can say is Welcome to “Hines Kiddie Land” .
　
Reference
Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for Working with Diverse Children. Baltimore, MD: Author
　
Erica Hines

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

The Ultimate Goal that I have as an Educator is to become  the best and most Effective Anti-bias Educator that I can possibly be by making a difference in the lives of the children that I teach.

My goal as an Anti-bias Educator is to make sure that I make all students feel safe, secure, and non-subjective to any type of bias.

Thanks to all classmate for the encouragement given to me through the duration of this course.   I wish that we accomplish all the hopes and dreams that we have established for ourselves.  May God continue to bless each and every one of you and your families.  Keep up the hard work and accomplish all.

Erica Hines

CREATING ART

My art work is a poem entitled:

"DOES IT REALLY MATTER?"

Does It Really Matter

Does it matter that I do not look like you, walk like you, or talk like you?

Does it matter that I am proud to be a woman, tall, plumb, and brown skinned?

Does it matter that I love me for me and have been given the opportunity to compete with the best?

No it does not matter that I do not look like you, walk like you, or talk like you.

Because I am me and I am proud to be me.

I love me for me.  I love me because I am me, so no, it does not matter if you like me or love me,

Because I love me and that is enough.

By: Erica Hines

"We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

I remember being in the store with my son.  This woman (who is know one of my co-workers for the past eight years) and her daughter passed by.  Her daughter has this illness that left her with really short limbs,  she have two fingers on each hand.  She can not talk.  Well my son saw her for the first time as they were walking down the aisle in the store and he asked mom what's wrong with her.  I told him to be quite, the girls mother heard me she turned around and came to me and said "don't tell him that, he just want to know, so she begin to explain what was wrong with her daughter to my son.  After she got through explain, my son asked the lady May he buy her little girl an ice cream.  I as an adult and an educator felt so ashamed of myself because as an educator, I should have known to explain to my son that people are different but they all are still human and deserve to be treated with respect.

As an educator of young minds we should have a variety of materials such as books, dolls, manipulative's, puzzles, and various of other items to teach our children about diversity of all type.

Erica Hines