The Sexualization of Early Childhood

           

          Sexualization is one of the most major issues in the United States of America I see this issues just about every day. My reaction to the topic of the sexualization of early childhood it is a major issue in school, in the home, and especially, in the community. I see young children at the age of 4 year old dress up like a grown person. Not only are they dressing like older young ladies they also dancing, singing, walking, and rapping like them. They also are during what they see the adults do in their home environment. Rules and regulations in the home atmosphere had changed since, from the way I was reared up. Dad and mom taught and implanted in all of his 15 children’s “To be a child and when we get to be grown act like you all are grown young ladies and men”. We did not have televisions, computers, IPods, tablets, telephones, or cell phones all of these items are a temptation for this new generation.

Examples: 1. (Too much freedom) Young children as young as 10 have a computer in their bedroom seeing materials, pictures and people that not appropriate for young children. The parents are not checking and seeing what the child is looking at on the computer. 2. (Negative influences) the parents are living any way in front of their children and not being the parents letting the children being the parents. We have to be positive role models to our children because the baby sitters are rearing the children in today society. Parents are dressing their children like strippers and thinking it pretty. Children are going to be children it is up to the parents to take of them. God forbid how today society are rearing up these young children not only Americans but also races gender, religious and ethnic groups of people (Levin & Kilbourne 2009). 3. (Listening) the latest music young children are listening to today. The style of music it is ashamed for parents to let their children hear this loud unholy music. Especially, the rappers they need to be arrested on how they have a negative influence on these young people. The words that proceed out of these rappers mouth should be a law against them. Calling people the N word God forbid, and so do I. You can say what you will or may word bring forth action that is some of the reason while so many of our black children are in trouble today. This is my personal point of view that we as adults need to lay the foundation for young children by being a positive role models, mentors, and advocators. We can not lie on the white men because we can be whatever we want to be no one is holding us down. We are our own worth enemy because “Quitters never wins and winners never quit.”

The implication this may have on children’s healthy development is that it impacts negative influence on children. When children receive negative influences, it brings forward worries especially to the parents. Children want to be like some of these rappers and music makers and will do what the words of the songs say do. Music has spirits carry with it and it like control of the mind. We as parents should make our children number one priority in our lives. Whatever happens to attending church, attending Sunday school, Youth Day’s and hearing the word of God? Whatever happens to the United States of America believing in treating everyone the same? The United States was the most religious nation in the world where the teachers used to pray every morning. When prayer was taken out of school guns, dope, drugs, and alcoholic can in destroying our young children. We as professionals need to sets standards and values to learn how to present ourselves as positive role models. Most children imitate the adults it is essential for as teachers to be positive role models, advocators, and mentors for our young children.

I think that professionals need to take this issue very serious because our children are being growing up in a speedy pace. We should educate ourselves and the young children families. Most families are very young and baby themselves and have no idea about rearing children. Young children are very uneducated in today society and do not take the time to help children with their homework. We have to figure out some ways to help educated these parents, on how to care for their children. I see it every day how young parents are dressing their children like adults. I believe in letting children be children until they grow into adulthood. Ways to influences positive influences is by monitoring what the children watch on TV, and Computers. When children are on the computer or watching TV be their guide in what they see and hear. Make it a PACT Time thing. Parent and Children Time Together.

Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

            In today society, many children suffer from racism and sexism they are being picked on by school children every day, some hate to go outside of their home because they are afraid of being picked on or being bullying. Imagine how it must feel to young children being not accepted by the community or society. We as professionals need to cry out against this ism(s) I suffer from a lot of biases such as, being black, having short nappy hair, dumb and a problem in speaking the correct way people want me to speak.

              I remember on one Saturday evening I was coming out of the store and got near to the car, and I reached for the door when I heard a small voice saying “nega”. My heart started to pound in my chest I rushed and open the car door and got in I looked over to my left. There was this older man about sixty years old standing outside of the car where the little small voice came from. I could not believe this man never open his mouth and tell the boy that he was wrong in calling me a racist name. I was about 15 year of age and was judged by the color of my skin. At that moment, I started to hate that man and that little boy also. But as I grew up to become a young lady I had a changing heart, for example, where there was hate I replaced it with love. I can truly say that I have a clean heart, and I love all people of races because I have accepted Jesus Christ into my heart. I am a woman of color, and I love me because there was a time I hated myself. When I heard that little boy called me a nega it made me think. For example: I did not finish college because I though I was dumb and stupid, I started to think about it. I heard and seen a commercial about when life throws you a lemon, turn around and make you some lemonade. Look at me now getting my master’s degree at Walden University one of the best Universities in the United States of America. Look at me being educated by the finest professors in the United States of American.             

Observing Communication

Age range 3-5
Setting- Mississippi County Head Start Preschool
Ms. Wright/ Mrs. Jones

 I arrival in the classroom about 8:30 and Ms. Wright the lead was meeting and greeting the families. I enter into the classroom. Ms. Wright asked me to put on shoe covers. The teacher asked me to wash my hands, before going into the center where the children played. MS. Wright explained to me with a warm and smooth tone of voice that this helps stop the spread of germs.  She expounded  to me not to think that she was picking on me, but it’s all about the safety and health of the children. I went through all of the procedures and made myself comfortable. I explained to Ms. Wright the purpose I was there to observe her classroom; with a slightly grim she stated” ok”!  Ms. Wright introduced me to her co-worker and to the students. I was impressed by the way the students greeted me! They all said,” Good Morning Ms. Tyler.” “How are you? Right then and there I saw social-emotion development being carried out in this classroom. 

 When I came and greet the class I saw that the teachers had their centers open unto the children. A young child  ran up to me and gave me the tightest hug and introduced herself to me. She said,” Hi my name is Harmony, but you can call me Honey.” I said,” Hi Harmony! My name is Ms. Tyler”,” How are you doing?” I’ll just call you Harmony.” Harmony said,” Can you play with me? (Language development). Harmony played in blocks with two others classmates. She introduced me to Billy Joe, and Charles. She was building a house for her mother and daddy. She built a house, airplane, pools, hot tubs, a million toys, 10 bedrooms and a restaurant. (Social –emotional development). There was communication, physical, cognitive, and social-emotional skills performing in Harmony interaction I observed Harmony while playing in blocks. She built a ten bedroom house and each bed room had a bathroom. Her house had an airstrip for her private plane, she had hotels in all of her bedrooms, and two rooms were designed just to hold all of her toys. (Which she said she had one million toys).

I observed that Harmony went over into the dolls area and got a doll and placed on the sofa, and went into the kitchen and got some food for the doll. She said,” said wake up baby it’s time for lunch, and she pretended to feed the doll. It was amazing to see a young child caring for a child, and she shown so much of concern and much in learning and development. When play time was over it was time for a bathroom break. Ms. Wright started to sing,” It’s time to clean up, it’s time to clean up.” I was so surprise at the knowledge I have learned from these little love ones. The children started to pick up toys and place them in the order they got them from. I saw Harmony and the two children she was interacting   picking up puzzles and tried to put it together.  Next it was time for the children to wash their hands.  They started to complain because they couldn’t put the pieces of puzzle together. Ms. Wright said,” What do we do when we can’t put something together? They said all together “We ask for help”! Ms. Wright asked,” Ms. Jones to help guide the children put the puzzle together. I watched as the children was putting the puzzle together Ms. Jones begins to sing” where do Mr. Green go? The children said,” He go here, (I saw cognitive and language skills   demonstrated).  The children placed the toys in their rightfully space. During this moment I saw relationships developing and children sharing and helping each other’s. When it was time to put the toys away all Harmony knew where all the toys go on the shelves. I saw the shelves were label with two languages English and Spanish.

 In this class I saw (social-emotional skills) go forward the children was playing together and had a peaceful relationship between them. When Charles couldn’t put the puzzles together and begin to cry and said,” I can’t do it”. Harmony and friends went over and helped Charles to put the puzzle together. (Cognitive skills, problems solving). They started to clap their hands saying “good job teacher.” They also use languages skills by holding conversations while they played with each other.  There was plenty of communication going backward and forward between the children. When they were building Harmony’s house they were using their physical development skills.  I even saw self- help skills going forward in this classroom. I admire these two teachers for putting forward tremendous efforts for helping these children to learn and development healthy skills. There were plenty of pretend play doing this observation and the children were playing the lead players and the teachers were playing the guiders. Which mean the teachers was there for guidance when the children need them.  I declare that these children can run a classroom they knew what steps and what came next. In other words they knew their schedule. I like the part when it was time for another activity the teacher would sing and the children would join in. The children knew to clean up the center before leaving it to go to another center. Good Job!

        Circle Time, during circle time the teacher got a book and started to read, some of the children came and listens to the story.  While some of the children played in other centers and after a period of time the whole class was sitting listening to the story. While one teacher was reading the story to the children the other teacher was sitting with the children. I notice that the teacher had her work cut out for her. There was letters, numbers, colors, shapes, and days of the week, birthdays, names, and alphabets. As the lead teacher would go over the items the other teacher would give it to her. Example: If she talked about numbers the co-teacher would reach in the basket and give it to her.
          These teachers were with one accord and on the same pace. After circle time, the teacher asked the students to go to their seats and choose their assignment. Some children chose coloring pictures of their mom, some chose cutting up paper, some chose pasting pictures on paper. In this activity the children small motors was at work. The teachers ask questions about each of the children work and the children would explain to her what they was making. (Communication). Than Harmony said,” look I made a picture for my mom.”(Social-emotion). There was small motor going forward by letting the children color what they want. (physical) I enjoyed watching the children do and handle their work up. One little boy came over to me and said,” That’s my puppy dog,” Pointing to the pictures on the wall. The children interacted well playing with each other, there was no fighting, fussing, and no confusing between them.

References

Kovach, B., & Da ROS-Voseles, D. (2011). Communicating with babies. Y C: Young Children  Young Children , 66(2). 48-50. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research database.

Http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http//search.ebscohost.comcom/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=60001532&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Creating Affirming Environments

                                     

                                    Head Start Infant and Toddler Classroom

Cedar Family Child Care is set up for toddlers’ age range from 18 month to 2 ½ this child care is build upon love and safety. Safety is the most important concerns in child care program settings. Children need to feel safe with the appropriate materials at their reach. When entering into the room, there is a sign – in sheet on the welcome table for the parents can sign the child in. This area is called greet and meet the parents by using communication to develop relationships. There are cubbies where the children put their coats and backpacks next to the sign-in stand. Each child has their picture on a cubby to know where to put their belongings such as, coats and changing clothing’s. Healthy is a fundamental concern also when caring for young children. . There is space for the children when in interactions and block area for different colors and textures (such as, soft and hard blocks) there is an area for dramatic play for children to use their own imaginations in their own little world. With kitchen equipped with stove, sink, table chairs, there is an area for music to let the children experience and explore moving their bodies to the beat and using their gross motor skills. There the area for manipulative for children can share and choose.

There are child-size furniture’s for children can be comfortable and safe. Each center is equipped with the right amount of materials at the children reach. I also place a book in each center for the children to read if want to. There is the library where the children can go and read a book and next to the library. I have the cozy area where when the child is feeling sad of missing mom he can go and sit to be along. The teacher‘s desk is by the library to be there for the children. There is the writing area with papers, books, pencils for children can write and draw. The art area with water proof paint of different colors and paint brushes, play dough of colors. There is the area called the sand and water. There is a child-size station with children aprons to keep from getting paint on their clothes and there is the bathroom with child- size toilet, and sink. There is space for mealtimes for children and teachers to eat together with the number of child-size child chairs and tables for the children. There are the babies changing area where you chance the baby when they have accidents. Where all of the supplies also when need to clean the babies is stored in the changing table department.

There is the carpet on the floor where the children sit sometimes and there is the wood floor where children and teachers eat lunch. There is a place on the carpet for the children to sit for activities. There are large trucks that similar for the children to push and pull for exercise their large muscles. There are photos on the wall at the children eye level of diversity. There is a picture board where the children’s and their families share for when the child get to miss the parents. The teacher can take the child over to the picture and ask questions about who is on the picture to help common the child down. There are plenty of photos on the wall and shelves. Each center is a label with two languages in English and Spanish to help the children put the toys back on the shelves. There are books in the library with diverse of people of different color of children and families that are handicap or different disabilities. There are photos on the wall at the children eye level of community helpers. It is essential to have all appropriate materials for young children. I have discovered any items that can pass through tissue roller are not appropriate for young children to play with. (Card board that the tissue is rap around).There should be the right amount of light not too much or little for children can be safe. There should be a safe area for nap time to be able to set the cots three feet apart for germs and disturbing. The most important concern for all young children is to not only teach safety but practice safety. (Teaching Strategies, Inc. 2005).

What I have I learned?

One hopes that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds.

One hopes that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds.

As a professional in the early childhood field setting one component I hope to have is to provide a high-quality education for school readiness. To respect every child’s cultural backgrounds, race, and religion beliefs; to promote the learning skills every child need by inputting all domains in interaction and play. To realize that education is an ongoing tool to help lay the foundations for school readiness.

 

One goal you would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice.

One goal I would like to set for early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to be qualified, knowledgeable in preparing   every young child to be prepared for transition to public school.   To lay the foundation for all young children to develop social- emotional, physical, cognitive and language development in the early years. To assess every young child by observing for support and identify any situation that develops in the child. To work with every young child‘s families to keep them in touch with the growth and development of the children. Know the importance in working with the schedule and structure procedures in everyday activities working with young children.

A brief note of thanks to your colleagues

I would like to think each and every one of my colleagues from the beginning unto the end for all of your support. This had been a wonderful milestone I have accomplished and gained; you all been so helpful and kind hearted. I would like to say,” Continue to gain the knowledge and understanding in supporting all children and families.” Thank you for your responses and wisdom about the information, I needed to be a better professional and accomplishing my goals. Remember my favorite quote is,” Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”

Start Seeing Diversity Blog: Creating Art

I chose to do a collage because of my sister Betty Ruth Jamison. Betty passed on August 28, 2013 and she left two daughters and a grandson behind. They are the two young ladies who are dress alike. There name is Deride and Windy Jamison, Windy is 39 and Deride is 37. These are Betty sisters and brothers after the funeral. This is my first time I ever did a photo collage.

 I have gained and learned tremendously during this course. I really enjoy working and communicating with the classmates. My classmates have been my supporters since day one. I really enjoyed working with each of the classmates and the professor has being my greater supporter thought out this class. I wish all who read my blog assignment enjoy it because I gave it my all.

Start Seeing Diversity Blog: “We Don’t Say Those Words in Class!”

·       A time when you witnessed an adult (or yourself) reprimand or silence a child after he or she pointed out someone they saw as different.

I remember we were at the Turtle Mall in Jonesboro, Arkansas we walked into Victoria Secret department. When we saw a lady had a tool in her neck and when she spoke she held this little white tool to her neck to communicate with the sale person. My little nephew Nigel said,” Look that lady talk funny nanny.” I expounded by explaining to Nigel what was wrong with the lady that she was sick and she speak different from the way we do. I expounded to Nigel that we help and respect people who are different from we are, and we don’t make funny of anyone.

·         What messages might have been communicated to this child by the adult

The messages I communicated to Nigel was that the lady was not different she needed the tool in her neck to communicate with people. The tool was like when you talk with your mouth the lady has to use the tool to talk. I got a pen from my purse, and I demonstrated to Nigel how the lady used the tool to communicate with people. I placed the pen under my chin and begin to talk to Nigel. I asked him do you understand. Nigel replied,” I got it nanny.” I used the pen, and my neck to give Nigel an example to help him to understand that we are all important. I explained to him just because we talk different there is no less respect for all manner of people.

·         An example of how an anti-bias educator might have responded to support the child’s (or classroom’s) understanding.

It is essential for all educators to respect and support all of the children’s families. It is extremely important for educators to support all children social identity. Supporting all children social identity, cultural, gender, and racial, are important(Derman- Sparks & Ramsey 2006). Educators should learn about the children behaviors by making sure that all children are well respected, and making sure no child is treated unfairly. Bill Martin (1970). The educator can explain to the children by using different materials such as, books, pictures, finger plays, and storytelling about anti- bias. Educators can also put anti-bias in the lesson plan for a topic.

References:

Derman- Sparks, L., & C.B. Phillips, (1997) Teaching/learning anti-racism: A developmental Approach.  New York Teachers College Press.

Derman -Sparks, L. (2004). Culturally Relevant Anti-Bias Education with Young Children.