The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4-1 Chapter 4: Providing Cross-Cultural, Nonsexist Education

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4-2 Equity in Education. Have you ever wondered… What to do about name calling and racial insults? How to help children value everyone, no matter what her or his race or color or gender? What to tell a 4-year-old who asks where babies come from?

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4-3 Examples of Teacher Prejudice Can Such Attitudes Be Changed? (Review Teachers’ attitudes findings p textbook) Suggestions for Controlling and Overcoming the Expression of Prejudice: Practice G. Thompson’s bias-proofing suggestions. Review p.84 Find out what people are really like!!!(p.85)

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4-4 Is Preschool Too Soon to Begin Cross- Cultural, Nonsexist Education? What Do Cross-Cultural and Nonsexist Education Have in Common?

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4-5 At a very young age, children are aware that: Color, language, gender and physical ability are connected t PRIVILEGE & POWER. 2 and 3 years old children are aware of physical characteristics. Between the ages of 3 to 5 years old, most children have a sense of their own ethnic identity and possible negatives attitudes towards those who are different(p.86) We must educate them to value and respect human differences!!!

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4-6 Children need guidance in organizing their ideas & feelings about skin color, hair texture, and eye shape, so that racism cannot harm their self-concept or can teach them to respect others.

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4-7 Principles of Cross-Cultural Education Recognize and honor cultural and ethnic differences: Encourage cultural pluralism. Value individual children for their special qualities: Teach cultural pluralism. A reminder: Don’t lose sight of the whole child. Relate cross-cultural learnings to the here and now.

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4-8 Beginning steps: Include concrete, visible evidence of cultural diversity. Build bridges by using the child’s dominant language. Provide a cross-cultural link between home and school Serve familiar food. Consider the child’s family customs.

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4-9 Fostering Deeper Cross-Cultural Understanding Build good human relationships: Go beyond foods, books, and holidays. Deal with racial comments and slurs at the preschool level. Provide proactive, anti-bias education, including: Multicultural assemblies and special events Opportunities for diverse student populations to mix Conflict-resolution training for children and staff Diversity in staff hiring Professional development on diversity and equity issues Support for bilingual students

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Involve and honor all parents when they visit the center. Successful communication is vital. Welcome family volunteers. Make visitors welcome for meals. Trust and use family expertise on the advisory board. Increase the number and variety of children in the school who come from various ethnic and cultural groups. Show respect for people of differing ethnic origins by employing them as teachers.

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Emphasize similarities and value the uniqueness of people. Teach the commonality of biological and psychological needs. Help families to look beyond their differences and focus on common goals. Keep working toward the basic goals of socialization that teach children to consider the rights and needs of everyone. Can teaching about cultural uniqueness and similarity of needs be combined?

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Encouraging Equity by Providing a Nonsexist Education and Helping Children to Value Their Own Sexuality Teach simple physiological facts. Masturbation. What do you think?? Meeting the special needs of boys in the preschool. 90% of ECE and elementary teachers are females!!! Adult male role models?

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Brain-related behavioral, attitude and learning differences between boys and girls (Review P. 101/102) Suggestions for providing a nonsexist curriculum Evaluate educational materials. Be aware of attitude and behavior modeling. Review research study p. 105

The Whole Child, 9e Joanne Hendrick & Patricia Weissman © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved ANTI BIAS EDUCATION Anti-bias curriculum embraces an educational philosophy as well as specific techniques and content. It is value based: Differences are good: oppressive ideas and behaviors are not. It sets up a creative tension between respecting differences and not accepting unfair beliefs and acts. It teaches Teaches and develops critical thinking and the skills for standing up for oneself and others in the face of injustice.