A time when you witnessed an adult (or yourself) reprimand or silence a child after he or she pointed out someone they saw as different (e.g., "That lady talks funny," " That man only has one leg!" "Why is that man so pretty!"). Include what the child said and what the adult did or said in response. (Note: If you cannot think of a specific time ask a friend or family member.)
I remember a couple of years ago we were in the grocery store and my little niece was staring at a lady who legs had been amputated and she was in a wheel chair. She was staring so hard that she ran into the cups on an aisle in the store. I observed her eye action and body language and I scolded her and told her to “stop it”. I told her to stop staring because what she was doing was rude and disrespectful. I explained to her that we all are different and because we are different does not give others the right to judge or stare.
What messages might have been communicated to this child by the adult's response
My niece has being with many plenty of times after this incident and she has seen many people with disabilities and she does not show any reaction. She acts like the person is just like her, and in fact, we all are the same. I believe that this incident made her aware that her staring could upset and affect a person more. I believe that my response affected my niece in a positive manner because she realized an important lesson of treating people with equality and respect.
An example of how an anti-bias educator might have responded to support the child's (or classroom's ) understanding
An anti-bias educator would create an environment that supports a child’s understanding be explaining to the child that we all are unique and special and that we should treat all people the same. Over the past several we have displayed curriculum and materials that promote diversity within our educational settings. We have materials that promote disabilities so that children are aware that we all are different.
Hi Tameika,
ReplyDeleteI have had this similiar incident to happen to me but it was my son who was staring at this little girl who has no arms and can not talk. As we passed the little girl in the store, he asked me loudly momma what's wrong with her, I was telling him to be quite when the little girls mom came up and told me not to tell him to be quite she said he only wanted to know what was worng. The mother begin to explain to my son the condition of her daughter. My son told the mother he was sorry for her daughter could he buy her an ice cream. I felt totally ashamed of my behavior, because as an educator and a parent I should have known that I was suspose to explain to him then about difference in people.
So when children so someone who looks different then they do we should explain people are differnt but we all are human and deserve respect.
Erica Hines