Course: EDUC 6164 – 2

Week 8 Blog Assignment

Professional Hopes and Goals

Joanne E. Lynch

Saturday 26^th October, 2013

     Being an early childhood educator, I must prepare myself to teach an increasingly diverse population of young children, as well as, to continue looking for ways to address the diverse needs of these children and their families. Likewise, I do recognize these families, honor, and support them in their values and norms of their homes. However, there is one hope that I have when I think about working with these families and children, and, that is to advance my capabilities to construct on the information and awareness that these children bring into the classroom, specifically that knowledge which is configured by their families, communities, and cultural histories.

     Certainly, one of the goals I would like to set for the early childhood field that is related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice, is to build positive identities and a respect for differences, by entwining diversity into the structure of the children’s everyday lives. For this reason, I will like them to grow up in a world that is free from bias and discrimination. This means, for social justice to exist in the school, each child in the classroom must be entitled to the same opportunity for academic achievement, regardless of background or acquired privilege. Besides, the children will be taught about justice and discrimination in all forms; with regards to race, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, age, appearance, ability, national origin, language, spiritual belief, sexual orientation, social class, economic circumstances, and the environment.

     Finally, as this course has come to an end, I must say a special thank you to my instructor Doctor Rosalie Parrish and all of my colleagues in Group 2 for imparting their knowledge to each and every one of us. For sure, I must admit that I have learned many new things, as well as, gained new insights from all.

Reference

Daniel, J., & Friedman, S. (2005, November).

Preparing teachers to work with culturally and linguistically diverse children. Retrieved from  http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200511/DanielFriedmanBTJ11

Deaux, K. (2001). Social identity. In J. Worell (ed.), Encyclopedia of women and gender (Vol. 1-     

            2, pp. 1-9). Maryland Heights, MO: Academic Press.