What I Have Learned ~

My hope is that my students and their families realize how much they are appreciated and valued in our classroom and community. I want my classroom environment to be welcoming to all my students and their families. I want my words and actions to reflect how much I respect and appreciate them. I want my students and their families to feel comfortable sharing their identities, backgrounds, and cultures in our classroom and with others.

One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to diversity, equity, and social justice is that teachers realize how important it is to value every child and his/her family. In order to meet this goal, I feel educators need to set aside their biases and prejudices and appreciate children for their differences. I would like for all educators to realize how our actions, words, and attitudes impact our students’ identities and development. Early childhood professionals have an important responsibility because we are usually the first experience these families have in the education program. We need to create a positive learning experience for our students and their families so they will feel empowered for years to come.

I would like to thank my fellow colleagues and Dr. Kien for your words of wisdom and encouragement. Throughout this course you all have helped me to reflect on who I am and understand the importance of being an anti-bias educator.  I wish you all much success in completing your journey.