Impacts on Early Emotional Development

     My hope for my future as an educator is to continue to get education.  I enjoy learning more about the Early Childhood field.  I have made plans to continue my education here at Walden University.  I have signed up for the EdS degree in Early Childhood Education.  I'm excited about my new journey, but I hate that the classes will be 11 weeks long.  As for children and families whom I work with, I will continue to be there for them and to help them in any ways possible.  They are my heart and they are the reason that I get up every morning.  I enjoy what I do and that is BEING AN ANTI-BIAS EDUCATOR!  As for my classmates, I really enjoyed these past eight week with you all.  I enjoyed reading you all discussions and blogs and reading your comments on my posts and blogs.  You all are true educators, and I am so grateful for having the opportunity to be your classmate.  Good luck on your journey as an anti-bias educator.  Until we meet again!  C. Curry

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

South Asia

     I chose South Asia as my area of the world to research.  Why?  Because I wanted to learn about children in South Asia and this was the perfect opportunity to do so.  The challenge that children are confronted with in South Asia is access to early childhood education is low with only half of the children attending preschool today.  This is worrying especially because pre-school is crucial to ensuring enrollment and school retention at later ages.  According to MICS 4 data, only two-thirds of children the ages of 36 to 59 months are developmentally on track in South Asia.  The proportion of children aged 0 - 59 months old who are left in inadequate care is also alarmingly high, meaning that several young children do not receive the nurturing and responsive care they require for achieving their developmental potential.  According to data from UIS, only half the children in South Asia attend early learning programs.  This, in turn, affects their school enrollment, participation, and retention.

     I've learned that not only children in the U.S. aren't able to attend early childhood programs, but it also happens all around the world.  At least in the U.S. there are government programs that can help families to get their child enrolled in early childhood programs, such as CCDF, On My Way Pre-K programs, and many others.  I'm so glad that there are programs in other countries like the UNICEF that cares about the well-being of children and try to help families.  

References

UNICEF (2011). Retrieved from http://unicef.org/infobycountry/

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

     I believe this is a very important topic to discuss in early childhood.  I've really didn't pay attention to sexualization in early childhood until this week.  I teach at a center that is all boys.  I noticed that they always wanted to dress-up as super heroes and believed they were strong and manly when they are allowed to play.  But I do remember when my classroom had girls that when they had show-n-tell on Fridays' most of the girls brought in make-up kits. I've also noticed the way parents, especially mothers how they dress around their children. The fathers having tattoos all over their bodies.  Recently, I read an article titled "Body Image" and I found it very interesting.  The article mentioned that "children today are being exposed to more images than any previous generation, due to advances in technology that have made mobile internet, interactive television and sophisticated video games commonplace in many homes" (Defries, 2010, p. 20).  It also stated that "a recent Government commissioned report caused a stir by claiming that this increased exposure to images that often conform to superficial gender stereotypes is teaching young girls that being attractive is all that matters, while young boys are learning it is manly to be disrespectful to women" (Defries, 2010, p. 20).  I believe this to be so true!  Not only that, but it depends on what the parents allow their children to watch at home.  The media plays a big contribution to sexualization and children because that is all that's on television is pretty girls and manly boys.  

     This article also mentioned that "young children are being influenced by a "drip drip" effect of exposure to sexualized messages, themes and images over time and from a range of different places.  Children are being sold the idea that they must look "sexy," which can lead to an obsession with their personal appearance and can have a serious impact on their mental health" (Defries, 2010, p. 20).  This is not good for children.  They are too young to be thinking about their appearance.  They should focus on being a child and loving the person whom they are as an individual.  I remember when I was young, didn't care if I was manly or strong.  I was being an explorer and talking walks in the woods and learning wild life.  

     As an educator and what I've learned about sexualization, I should focus on having materials in my classroom that does involve sexualization.  For example, I should take out the super heroes costumes from my dramatic play area for the boys.  Having those type of costumes will have the boys to think that they are powerful and strong.  I should put doctors, police, constructor workers costumes in the dramatic area.  I should also be careful about the selection of books that I read to my boys.  They enjoy listening to stories that have super heroes in them like the Hulk, Superman, The Avengers.  I need to replace them with books that are more beneficial to their learning.

References

Defries, M. (2010). Body image. Nursery World (Haymarket Business Publications Ltd), 110

     (4215), 20-21.

Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

     I have always thought that being an African American male in early childhood education would encourage parents to really want their child to learn and succeed in my classroom.  Sometimes I do see it and sometimes I don't.  I have learned that some people don't find it normal for a male to work with preschoolers.  It's okay if they teach in elementary, but not preschool and I am usually stereotype by others, especially parents because of my gender in this field.  I recall a time when I had a little girl that started in my class.  I noticed when I spoke to her she seemed scared.  When her mother finally met me she said, "I would like for my child to go in another teacher's class.  I do not want her to have a male teacher."  I didn't know what to say because I've never had a parent to request something like this because of my gender.  I directed her to my center director.  My director told her that if she have a problem with an male teacher to take her child elsewhere, and the parent did. 
     This really made me depressed for some months because I never thought that people really felt that way because of my gender.  It made me interact less with my students, especially my girls because I was always thinking about what that mother said about me.  It had me to really question my career.  I didn't feel the same way about teaching preschoolers like I used to.  The only way I bounced back was from talking to my best friend.  She have been a preschool teacher for a long time and she gave my the courage to keep on teaching. She told me, "Mr. Curry, you are an awesome teacher!  You're going to face some stereotype from people because of your gender and race in this profession.  Be strong and ignore them and keep changing the lives of these children.  They need you!"  I felt what she was saying.  Her kind words changed me and made me to become to best teacher that I am today.  Thank you Rhonda Hooks for your kind words!