Seeing the diversity in the environment

To respect and support diversity in the program, the environment should provide the opportunities for children to see themselves and the materials that honor diversity both within and beyond their own identity groups ( Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edward, 2010). If I am going to open my own Family Child Care Home, I think I would like my setting to be child and family friendly, and to represent the children and their families that I currently serve as my first concern.

In the media segment, Adriana (2010) stated that she believes it is important to greet everyone in the morning, and I believe so too. I will post the good morning sign with various home languages that my children speak on the door, and I will try to learn them as well. In that case, I can greet to the families in the morning in their home languages to make children proud of their home language and feel respected and valued. Meanwhile, the photos, posters, dolls and dresses should be of great variety to demonstrate the diversity in and beyond the classroom. I will have a drama corner, so we can discuss the differences and conflicts in the class with the usage of the dolls. Meanwhile, I will create my own playlist of the music that includes the music from children’s own home cultures (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edward, 2010). Besides that, in the reading corner, the books should be the tools that children can read and learn how to express themselves, to communicate with others, and to discuss their emotions. Teachers have the responsibility to choose the books that can introduce children to the love of reading as well as to human differences and similarities, or help children become critical thinkers (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edward, 2010). I really liked the family corner in the media segment. Each family brings something about their home culture to share with the rest of the class. I will have one corner like that as well in the class. It can be the photos, decorations, toys, or dresses. Anything that families decide to bring to represent their own cultures. Doing that can help children learn about their own home cultures and learn about other cultures in the world. I would like to invite the parents and the children together to give a small speech or presentation of what they bring to school. I want children to be proud of who they are. One of the major parts of the early years setting is the toys. Dramatic play props, puzzles, drawing material and blocks and legos are the toys that children love to play with. As teachers, we are supposed to ensure the pieces of the toys can reflect the diversity of the cultures, especially the home cultures of the children that we currently serve. Above all is the primary elements that I would like to include in my setting, as I really want children to develop views of the bigger world (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edward, 2010).

References

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