Sexual and Gender Identity

There are many ways that the world permeates homophobia and heterosexism and it begins with a world in which children cannot get enough of and parents encourage and that is Disney.  My room swarms with conversations of Princesses and Cars, and now the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers.  As a matter of fact this past week a child asked if she could play Ninja Turtles with the boys and they said yes you can be April which is the only girl character in the show, when I asked if she could be Leonardo or another turtle all the boys yelled no because they were boys (characters).  We live in a world still today that emphasizes roles of gender, heterosexism, and homophobia.  Disney family movies consist of nuclear families such as Honey I Shrunk the Kids or even more recent movies Brave.  The fact that the family park is based on a theme of the 20’s is evident still today as they do not speak about homophobia in the forefront but the message is clear in their programs, movies, characters, and toys.  It is our job as teachers to be aware of cultural norms however, it is our duty to instill practices that there is not gender biased or depict personal biases.  The game Stereotype is an excellent and informational way to teach children of the myths and facts surrounding homophobia and heterosexism (Laureate Education, Inc, 2011b). 

 

I found the question of avoiding materials depicting gays or lesbians to be very thought provoking in my recent career.  I work as a preschool teacher on a federal installation surrounded by Marines and Sailors and a swarm of homophobia.  Although, the president deemed that homosexuals could freely be open in the military the stigma of cultural preferences is still prevalent.  It is an unspoken language in which I have been told by some of my parents that it is fine to be homosexual, but I do not want my children being influenced by it.  In other words, they have some personal bias issues.  However, I do not and walk a very thin line on the issue when I discuss families in the classroom.  I believe just like the video Start Seeing Diversity that although families may be against the discussion children still need to be aware and respectful of other families that are different from their cultural norms (Laureate Education, Inc, 2011b).  I have had some backlash for discussing same=sex families by some parents, but I also tell those parents that what is different is not wrong and you would not want someone to stereotype their family.  Families are people who love each other and their not define by blood or any other stereotype based on cultural norms but the feelings of the heart. 

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011b). EDUC 6357-6 Diversity, Development, and Learning [Webcast]. Start Seeing Diversity: Gender. Baltimore, MD: Author. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2651072_1%26url%3D

So Long Farewell, but not goodbye!

My last blog post for at least a week and here I sit recollecting of the many times I have said goodbye.....Oh how it has been an adventure.  The late night emails and funny blogs that make my day after a hard work week or a stressed paper.  I thank everyone for their words of encouragement.  I guess you could say collaboration are the friends you make after the project is over.  I have made many friends here at Walden the last 14 months and especially in this course.  The knowledge everyone has shared has been profound and impacted my life as a teacher positively.  I wish everyone nothing but the best and hope the next few months are painless as most of us will be approaching graduation.  Just llok at it this way with each passing day we are closer to not writing anymore papers!!!!!!!!!! Good Luck and God Bless!! 

Adjourning.....

I believe the hardest groups to leave are the ones that we get the most support from and accomplish our goals.  A little over two years ago I graduated from Mount Olive College in which I was a part of the first cohort.  I met 15 women who impacted my life greatly and 1 great friend who has been my support system through it all.  This cohort meant everything to me.  We were like a family, we fought together, we collaborated together, and we let no one come between our successes.  I cannot imagine another time I was a part of a cohesive group that meant so much to me not form a professional stand point but also a very personal one too.  At the end of our long 18 month journey together  we celebrated by going to what we called the” last supper” and gave a small speech in which we told how each individual impacted our lives and then exchange a small gift.  I know that the experience I had at Mount Olive will not be like the one here at Walden as my relationships are not as intimate and I can only see their faces through pictures.  However, I do wish them the same success as my cohort and hope to see them in Washington D.C. changing the views of early childhood and impacting the world.  In the end, adjourning is critical to the stage process as it closes a chapter of accomplishments in one book in order so that you can move forward in opening a new one if you choose.  Reflection is a great achievement. 

Nonviolent Communication

I believe the two biggest strategies I have learned in my communication with others especially disagreements is to be respectful and receptive to the other person’s differences.  Often times, I have noticed it is not what you say in the disagreement but how you say it with force or not acknowledging the other person’s views.  There is nothing wrong with not agreeing with an individual.  However, how you respond could be a huge factor in being respectful and disrespectful.  Disagreements are often personal biases.  I believe if we were more open to other’s views even when we don’t agree we can still be receptive in trying to understand their opinion or biases.  I know yesterday I asked two of my colleagues their strategies for resolving conflict and they both said compromising and understanding the other person’s reason for their strong opinion.  I believe that the NVC of communication should be a training mandated for educators because it is often the conflicts in ourselves that separate our differences with families. 

 

Assumptions of Communication

I believe the biggest surprise that I gained from my mom, husband, and best friend evaluating me was that all of the scores were very close meaning they all knew me probably better than I did of myself.  I always try to be who I am and never change for anyone and well it seemed very apparent in the questionnaire as the scores were all eerily similar.  I believe what I have learned this week which was very profound for me was the appearance interaction theory.  I know as a young adult I use to pass judgment based on appearances, but as I got older I learned that appearances are not everything.  It is genuinely better to get to know someone and assume based on appearance because what you are really doing is passing on your own securities and sometimes your hidden prejudices.  This has been a very enlightening week on exposing true feelings of ignorance based on prejudices and not meeting a person but judging them based on their appearance. 

Communication

I never noticed until taking this class but I do communicate with others differently.  When I am around my friends and really close coworkers I am loud and animated with no care in the world.  I am biased in my opinion and almost a manipulator of some sorts as I always try to get them to see my point of view.  It is something I am working on though as I try to implement the Platinum Rule with always being open and receptive to other's point of views. Although, I can be overbearing at times in my personal life in my profession as a teacher I am always a professional.  I speak with cultural myopia in mind always considering the needs of the child and their family.   I use proper grammar and never slang and always try my best to be aware of my intercultural communication in regards to how other cultures may interpret my words or actions.  However, I am not always successful as I often still battle with contradicting body language  displaying behaviors opposite of my verbal message.  In essence, I am a work in progress and will continue to strive to be mindful of others and considerate of their thoughts and feelings. 

NonVerbal Television

The show I decided to watch was Probation Diaries, now I had never watched this show before but understanding the relationship was very clear with no sound because the parolee had pictures of their felonies on the screen.  As for the relationships well let’s just say the probation officers relationships vary some were smiling, some were pointing and shaking their head no, and some were using facial expression that showed discontent as the parolees either smiled back, shook their heads no, or begin crying or becoming upset.  The relationships were very tense based on their body language and environment.  I believe the expression and feelings were not mutual in most aspects and that it seemed like a parent chastising a child as they looked as if they are being reprimanded for their actions or verbal expressions.

The assumptions that I made about the plot and characters were that more chose to live by their own rules than follow the rules of the probation officer.  It seemed as if the probation officer was an adult sitter and that the nonverbal and verbal communication that they expressed was one of seriousness with praising when they did do what was expected.  I believe my assumptions would have been more accurate if I watched the show regularly and really knew the demeanor of the officers and the paroles if they were on weekly. 

In essence, watching a show I knew well would have made a huge difference as I knew the character’s personality and the storyline of the show.