What is Communication

                                     Rev. Father Boniface Hardin

There are two different people who demonstrate competent communication. The first is the  founder of Martin University Rev. Father Boniface Hardin. The second is my oldest brother Charles Guynn, These two men are very articulate when speaking to an audience there demeanor demands your attention. They both use word that will stretch you vocabulary but not so much that you do not understand what they are saying, more like I wish I would remember to use that word when I am speaking to my parents. 

                             
                      Charles Guynn and My Mom and my
                          Sister Frances in the background.

Professional Hopes and Goals

One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come for diverse backgrounds is that I will continue to lean about different diverse backgrounds of all people around the world, and to make sure that my entire staff are educated to these backgrounds. I also hope that the children and their families that attend our school will learn that many different kinds of families exist in our world and to stop any bias feeling that may have already developed and also prevent any new ones that may develop.

One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is in an area that we did not focus on as much and that is the area of children that have social emotional disorders and their families. In most cases I do not feel that these children and their families with these divers’ disorders are treated with equity, and social justice. I feel they are our throw away children who no one wants to have in their classrooms or in many cases their schools. These are the children who quit school or are expelled from school or even put out of school and even the unthinkable children who commit suicide. I would like that the early childhood field make it mandatory that all staff have training when working with children and their parents with this kind of disorders.  I feel we must start early before these children get into the elementary and high schools.

I would like to thank all of my colleagues for all of you insightful posting on our blogs as well in our discussions. I have leaned a lot from all of you. I will take your ideas and use them. I also like to thank Dr. Morgan for all of your help. I hope to have you all for classmates in our next class.  

Welcoming Families From Around the World

The name of my families country or origin is from many differ areas of the world. I consider myself African American. However I have a grandfather who is half American Indian and Caucasian, who married an African American woman. I also have a great-grand-father who is Italian who married a African Italian and a great-grand-mother who is half African American and half Caucasian.  My father was fair skin and my mother is fair skin also all of my brothers and sisters are fair skin. However we all can see who pick up which ethnic genes some of us have blonde hair and blue eyes some have light brown hair with green hazel eyes and some have dark brown hair with dark brown eyes. My dad had dark brown hair with gray hazel eyes and my mom has dark brown hair with dark brown hair.

The story in our text tell a story about a little girl name Beth who brought a CD if country music to school to share with her class and her mother became embarrassed, but Beth told her mother that the CD was part of her culture that she wanted to share. The teacher went on to explain to Beth’s mom that she had encourage the children to bring things from home that reflect their daily life and that they called it Culture Share. She went on to let Beth’s mom know that the class enjoyed listening to the music that Beth loves.  I love this ideal, this is something I would encourage all of my teachers to incorporate in their lesson plans.  I would also educate myself as well as my staff about the different cultures in our community that would be apart of our school through research. We would also have parent’s night out at least six times or more a year to share their different cultures such as  food, music, dancing, language, holidays and the country of their origin or anything else that the parents wants to share about their cultures. I would also have guess speakers from different country of origin come in as in house field trips to share their cultures. I will also have foods added to the menus form all the different cultures around the world and the families in our school as well as books, toys and dress up clothing in the dramatic  for the child to play with on an everyday basses.

My hopes for these preparations is that the children as well as their parent feel apart of our school. I also want the parent to feel that their children are happy to be at our school and that they will lean the same as all the children in the school, and as it stated in our text that “Teachers and families should work toward developing mutual respect—with families recognizing that teachers may well know more about children in groups and children’s development in general, and with teachers recognizing that families know more about their child in particular. Both types of knowledge are necessary for children to flourish.”

Reference

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like.

In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

I experience bias, prejudice, and oppression very early in my life. I am an African American woman who is very fair. I feel most of the prejudices came from some of the children who I attended school with. I was called names such as “you white/black girl”, “You yellow girl”, “you mustard girl”, but what I think that want hurt me the most was that who I thought were my friends would say “ You just think you are cutie because you have long hair, green eyes, and have white skin” I remember going home and asking my mom if I was white,  she reassure me that I was not white but that I had many different  nationally  that flow through my blood.  She then explain that grandpa Long who was her father was half American Indian and half Caucasian, and that my other grandpa Guynn my father’s father was half Italian and half African Italian. After my mother explain my nationally it seem to be OK with being fair skin. I was still called names so I just punched them in the mouth. I was some what of a fighter. I guess growing up with so many brothers I learn how to rascal and fight if I had too.  

What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

This incident brought up to me trying to understand racism not only with in my own race but all racism all around me. I went from an all black grade school to a majority white school. I heard how white people were not fair to people of color, and I experience some of that in high school. In high school is where I was first called the “N” word. I was so confuse because I did not want to dislike white people because my grandfather was half white. But I did because my grandfather did not clam to be white he told everyone he was a black. I ask my mother why grandpa said he was black and she said because of the way he was treated by white people and how my grandmother, mother and her brothers and sisters were treated. So I grew up not trusting Caucasian. As I grew up I did develop some friends that are Caucasian but I never looked at them as Caucasian but good friends.

What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

I guess I would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity of greater equity. As I grew into an adult I know that all Caucasian are not closed minded to different cultures. I do sometimes have trust issues this is something I need to work on.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Microaggressions occur on my job everyday. I work at a college as an online recruiter. I talk to people for a living helping to change lives. I would say that 90% of the people who I talk to are not very nice. I have been called the “N” word so many times I cannot count and I have been called a “B” un-countless times. Most of the people who we talk to are of color and or from low income households we also serve a lot of people just getting out of jail.  What I find said is some of my fellow recruiters who talk about some of our student. I find it very offensive when the cultures of different ethnic groups are made fun of including my own. When my fellow recruiters change their voices to sound like the accents of the student they just talked to on the phone. I have heard my fellow recruiters say things like “that taco needs to go to school so he can learn to speak English or “Jaquittannta did not get enough chicken to eat” because that student was not very nice on the phone with them. We also have pitch-ins on the time and things have been said from some of my white fellow recruiters like we got to have fry chicken and watermelon. I have gone face to face with them and it stops for a while but it still seeps out now and then. I think prejudice is a sign of fear and stereotyping is a sign of unintelligent people.  

                                        

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I ask the question what is your definition of Culture well as Diversity to five of my firends and I am sharing want they shared with me.

What is your definition of culture?

I believe you already know the textbook definition of the word and you are also able to review current academic literature on the subject therefore I will simply provide you with my personal view. Culture to me, encompasses the entirety of human existence from the conception of ideas to the results of our actions, and it is as old as the human species.

The reason culture is so difficult to define in one simple sentence is the fact that it describes both reality and an idealistic state of human existence often locked in our subconscious. Between what is, and what ought to be, we live and express ourselves daily. Culture is commonly understood in two distinct dispositions: Behavior and identity.

Behavior: This is learned all through life; however, it shapes a person’s behavior patterns, perceptions, and beliefs through adolescence after which time only slight modifications can be made. Geographical location, economic conditions, religion, and political variables all help to shape these behavior patterns. Movies, television, and the internet have minimized the hitherto strong influence of geographic location on behavior by exposing people to many different realities giving them a broader view of the world. Behavior is a living thing and evolves based on current affairs and what realities people are exposed to; nonetheless, people don’t lose their past to current development. This leads to the second classification of culture, identity.

Identity: I will illustrate this, using identical twins with very different tastes in Music – one classical/opera and the other heavy metal rock. Apart from probably sharing the same bed/room/home growing up, they may hang out with different groups of friends.  The good thing about exposure to media (TV, Movies, Internet, Radio, Printed news) is that people are exposed to a myriad of possible identities to choose from making it possible to have a broader perspective of life and be more accepting of foreign identities. This leads to the next question, diversity.

 What is your definition of diversity?

                Diversity is the recognition and celebration of differences. It is the ability to discover harmony through our differences.  In my opinion, diversity is by intelligent design – God in three persons (Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit) is one.  For the same reason the institution of marriage was established, that two different people (male and female) shall find harmony and celebrate their differences (Matt 19:5). In the academic community, social settings, and professional environments, these differences spark healthy debates that lead to better outcomes which a single school of thought, culture, or ideological disposition cannot accomplish by itself. Diversity provides a better perspective on issues.

Vincent Van Empeh

What is your definition of culture?

Culture, to me, encompasses many things from art, music, literature and how those things interact in our daily lives and how they help shape who we are.

 What is your definition of diversity?

Diversity can describe many things from crowds of people, cities, nations, to stock portfolios. Diversity is what made our country so great. We are a true melting pot of people from all races, origins, nationalities. I welcome diversity, for it is what makes us unique.

I hope this helps! I wasn’t sure if you wanted paragraphs or just brief sentences.

 Jim Anderson

Culture consists of a group of individuals whose value systems are the same and share the same beliefs.

Diversity makes me think of a group of different nationalities in one location.

Hannah Washington

Culture is the makeup of character

Diversity is the amount of opportunities 

Dee Guyse

What is your definition of culture?

 Culture is the environment and customs you were raised in. 

Different races celebrate holidays in different ways.

Example in the United States Dec 31 is recognized as the end of one year and the beginning of a new year.

The celebrations that take place range from large parties to quit small gatherings.

An Asian lady I know says they celebrate the New Year for 3 days in a row.  They have a lot of food and women have to wear either Black or Red.  Someone wearing red signifies there was a death in their family that year.

What is your definition of diversity?

 Diversity is when different races & cultures blend and work or live in a community.

My sister recently moved from Austin, Tx to a suburb of Chicago, IL the level of diversity

In the community and school is what helped her decide which community to live in.

She wants her son exposed to different cultures & races.

 Karen Outlaw

I saw that my friends pretty much think the same way I do when it comes to culture and just a little different when it comes to diversity. I belive Your culture is a product of your enviroment, and diversity is the differents in groups of people.

Alice Guynn

My Family Culture

My Family Culture

If there were a catastrophe that had almost complete devastated the infrastructure of my country and I had three small items to take with me I would take my Bible, a family photo album, and my Family Cook book.  I would take the Bible because I live by the word of the Lord and so does my family it is the larges part of my culture. I would take family photos because my family is a large part of my culture also. I would take my family cook book again because it I a big part of my families culture.  If I were told that I could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items I brought with me. I first would give back the photo album because I would have my family with me then I would give up the cook book only because I know most of the recipes. What I would not give up would be the family’s Bible. I need to read my Bible when I am having a good day so I know I am going to have to have it with me with the destination that will be going on around me.  

I though this was a fun exercise so I sent a survey to many of my friends at work just to see what they would take with them. I survey 15 people and what the first thing they would take with them out of 15, 10 said they would take there Bible, the other five said they would take their dog, toilet paper, phone, passport and wine. The second thing they would take would be, (5) said photo albums, (6) said money, and (4) said they would take their gun.  The third thing they would take were things like computers, phones, and the wee game. I found that the survey was interesting.

The insights I gained about myself, my family’s culture, and diversity was that how much it means to me. I have a very large family and we have developed our own family culture. We have a family news paper that goes out four times a year. The news paper was developed because we were all growing older and we were having problems keeping up with each other as well as our nieces and nephews. We also have several family events through out the year so that we can get together to spend time with each other such as (Family Game Day (Christmas), 4 camping trips, Aunt Rita’s Cookie Bake, Guynn 500 Race, Big Momma’s Little Girl Overnight Cooking Weekend, 4 different golf outing, Guynn’s Bowling Day Out, State Fair, Telisa’s Day to Remember Our Love Ones, Aunt Rita’s Halloween Party for the kids, Summer family cookouts, and our every two year family Cruise). Our goal is that our children know each other and to also carry on our family traditions. Aunt Rita died over 15 years and we are carrying on her traditional holiday parties and we are hoping our children will do the same.