UNIT

1
UNIT 3--Social Competence in Young Children

• Chapters 13--Providing Cross-Cultural, Nonsexist
  Education

2
Questions to Answer

• Have you ever wondered what to say when a one of
  the children says to a Mexican child in the
  class, I wont sit by you --your skin is dirty.
• What should you tell a 4-year-old who asks where
  babies come from?
• What to do about name calling and racial insults?
• How to help children value everyone, no matter
  what their race or color or sex?

3
Introduction

• Equity in Education -- well-presented,
  cross-cultural, nonsexist curriculum -- no
  second-class children -- no difference in what
  children must do or be in order to be in the
  group!
• Sometimes teachers do treat children as second
  class!

4
Teacher Prejudice

• Attitudes toward low- and middle-income children
  who are African American or White (research
  Leacock)
• teachers spoke less frequently about curriculum
  matters to African American children -- made more
  critical and negative comments. (Even when
  teachers were African-American themselves).
• Teachers doing nothing when children express
  prejudice in the classroom toward other children.
• Prejudice shows thru in different ways
• Way teachers treat boys and girls (girls have to
  be closer to teacher to get recognition).
• Boys interrupted teacher at snack table more
  teachers interrupted girls far more than they
  interrupted boys.

5
Can Prejudicial Attitudes Be Changed?

• YES!
• Through instruction and consciousness raising.
• Learn to appreciate the value of cultural
  pluralism.
• Not easy to modify racial and gender stereotypes
  -- it can be done.
• Use of multiethnic materials -- has somewhat
  positive effect.

6
Suggestions for Controlling and Overcoming
Expression of Prejudice

• Learn to see things from anothers point of view
  -- accept, rather than change the attitudes of
  someone with different values.
• Usually anticipate family will move to the
  teachers point of view.
• Term culturally deprived -- children who are
  deprived of middle-class, Anglo culture in
  reality these kids have a rich culture of their
  own!
• Learn to accept differences -- rather than
  expecting to change them.

7
Suggestions (cont)

• Find ways to become acquainted with one person or
  family of each racial and cultural group in your
  community.
• Extend common courtesies and titles of address to
  all persons.
• Learn difference tween paternalism (loving down)
  and true respect.
• Keep check on your thoughts feelings -- watch
  out for blaming whole groups of people for what
  individual do.
• When you hear rumors that reflect on a group --
  demand proof.

8
Suggestions (cont)

• Never us hateful terms that slur any group --
  show disapproval for those who do.
• Dont tell stories -- about groups.
• Welcome new workers without regard to race or
  creed..
• Request a policy of non-discrimination where you
  spend your money.
• Take your patronage where there is a choice.
• When in public with interracial groups -- always
  assume you will be served. (Likely to say no if
  you ask in advance!)
• Watch out for term restricted. (Usually means
  discrimination against someone.!)

9
Overcoming Prejudice

• Acquisition of knowledge -- different ethnic
  groups and cultures.
• Ex owls -- birds of ill omen by Navajo -- avoid
  in Halloween decorations dont refuse tea in the
  home of the Japanese.
• Try to live on a welfare monthly allotment learn
  respect, understanding and ingenuity of the
  families -- understand rage and helplessness.
• Learn language of families -- use it!

10
Do Young Children Notice Ethnic Differences

• Children as young as 3 respond to skin color of
  African Americans and Mexican Americans also
  true for Native American tribes.
• Awareness increases between ages 3 and 5!
• Ethnic attitudes acquired tween ages of 3 and 5.
  (White children consistently more negative to
  members of another group!)
• Ages 7 8 -- increasing tendency for all groups
  to assign most preferred rating to children from
  own ethnic background.

11
Gender Differences?

• Awareness of sexual differences begins as early
  as age 2 -- in childrens bathrooms.

12
Commonalties of Cross-Cultural Nonsexist
Education

• 1. We want children to value their own unique
  identify in relation to both ethnic background
  and gender.
• 2. We want children to learn the people of all
  races and both sexes have many need sand
  abilities in common, and we must recognize
  these held-in-common needs and abilities and
  encourage their satisfaction if we want to
  enable all children to make use of their
  potential.

13
Principles of Cross-Cultural Education

• Encourage equity by recognizing and honoring
  cultural differences.
• Teaching cultural pluralism -- helps kids learn
  that different doesnt mean inferior.
• Importance of sensitivity--basic learning is
  thateveryone is worthwhile and each child brings
  with him from his family special things that
  enrich the group and are fun to share.

14
Principles (cont)

• Relate cross-cultural learning to the here and
  now.
• Anti-bias Curriculum -- empower people to resist
  being oppressed or to resist oppressing others.
• 2s -- brown color of skin doesnt wash off and
  is not dirty 5s encouraged to participate in
  more activist possibilities -- unfair practices
  band-aids for white and black people. Provide
  cross-cultural link tween home school. (books,
  records, pictures, rhymes, songs dominant
  language dialect traditions serving familiar
  foods holidays, special occasions -- avoid
  stereotypes dress-up clothes to reflect
  occupations of various parents or national
  costumes dolls.
• Materials available consistently -- rather than
  presented as isolated units.

15
Suggestions That Foster Cross-Cultural
Understanding

• Go beyond foods, books, and holidays.
• Purpose of multicultural curriculum is to attach
  positive feelings to multicultural experiences so
  that each child will feel included and valued and
  will also feel friendly and respectful toward
  people from other ethnic and cultural groups.

16
Suggestions (cont)

• Handling racial comments and slurs
• Some are for information -- will the black rub
  off? -- welcome these comments in the open --
  provide opportunities to clear-up confusion --
  can be different colors on outside but all are
  pink on the inside!
• Insults -- 3s 4s dont comprehend true
  meaning of slang -- or emotional power -- child
  uses words be cause he/she is angry -- not to
  hurt
• point out the real reason for the anger somebody
  took something, not because they are
  African-American
• describe each childs feelings.
• teacher be clear about appropriate and
  inappropriate words in the classroom we dont
  use that word!
• help attacked child express feelings!

17
Suggestions (cont)

• Show respect for people of differing ethnic
  origins by employing them as teachers.
• Real people over historical people.
• Increase number variety of children in the
  school who come from various ethnic and cultural
  groups.
• Recruit suburbias children -- white flight!
• Involve honor all parents when they visit the
  center
• Successful communication is vital! Speak slower
  not louder! Translator.
• Welcome parent volunteers--give important tasks!
  (read a book vs wiping tables)
• Make visitors welcome for meals.
• Trust and use parent expertise on advisory boards.

18
Recognize Similarities/Value Uniqueness

• Teach commonality of biological and psychological
  needs everyone gets hungry -- eats different
  foods everyone feels mad sometimes -- wants to
  belong to somebody --wants to have friends --
  feels lost when Mom leaves.
• Help families look beyond various differences to
  focus on common goals. (Advisory Boards)
• Keep working toward basic goals of socialization
  that teach children to consider rights and needs
  of everyone.

19
Combining Cultural Uniqueness Similarities

• 1. Beginning/Start bring in things from other
  cultures to see, pass around -- museum period!
• 2. Next -- here and now -- cook ethnic foods
  together and enjoy -- celebrate holiday.
• 3. Comparative experiences -- try out a
  Czechoslovakian feather bed, Guatemalan
  hammock, child-sized American bed Japanese
  and American eating styles banana leaves of
  Thailand and umbrellas.

20
AVOID TOURISM APPROACH

• Japanese Day
• Cinco de Mayo
• Indian Week (Native American)
• African-American Unit

21
Encouraging Equity Nonsexist Education Value
Own Sexuality

• Includes reproduction and gender differences --
  value maleness or femaleness.
• Step beyond narrow ideas of sex roles and
  stereotypes -- but allow basic value of sexuality
  -- part of personality!
• Teach simple physiological facts
• open toileting -- not secrecy penis, vulva both
  sexes (likely to omit female)
• ask child what they think an answer is to one of
  their questions -- to see what they know.

22
Sexuality

• Typical Question Where do babies come from? How
  will it get out? Not -- How did the baby get
  there?
• Uterus, womb,vagina.
• Avoid animal or seed concepts.
• Consider single-parent families.
• Parents feel loving and close -- penis inside the
  vagina.
• Masturbation -- avoid bad label.
• Tale child aside such behavior feels good -- do
  only in private place consult with parents if
  necessary.

23
Boys Needs

• High-physical-energy activities boys engage in
  more rough and tumble play and they are more
  aggressive than girls are after the age of 2.
  (Women teachers tend to suppress!)
• Male role models. (Only 3 of preschool teachers
  male.)
• Avoid feminizing the male preschool children.

24
Nonsexist Curriculum

• Boys are found to be more aggressive than girls
  -- girls language development verbal abilities
  exceed those of boys. (Not statistically
  pronounced!)
• No prevailing genetic reason why both sexes
  cannot be equally interested in every activity
  offered at school!
• Be sure to savor the childs own sexuality -- it
  is fundamental to identity.

25
Nonsexist Curriculum

• Equitable without undermining childs pride in
  gender -- open curriculum.
• Both sexes participate in all learning
  activities.
• Blocks -- spatial and visual ability --
  architecture, mathematics, and engineering.
• Dressing-up Cooking -- boys explore role of Dad
  and Mom -- preparation for future -- include
  mens clothing!
• Boys need small muscle activities (cutting,
  painting) and assistance in impulse control.

26
Girls Need

• Activities that require spatial exploration.
• Activities for practice in large muscle
  coordination development of large motor skills
  (increase structured gym activities).
• Equipment that enhances investigatory activity.
• Activities that permit learning from following
  directions.
• Tasks that require cooperative groups of three or
  more children for their accomplishment.
• Tasks that encourage distance from adults.
• Opportunities for experimenting with a wide range
  of future career options.

27
Boys Need

• Activities that encourage listening, speaking and
  conversing.
• Activities for small muscle coordination.
• Opportunities to learn from examples.
• Opportunities that encourage responsibility for
  others and to others.
• Opportunities for nurturing activities.
• Activities for helping boys develop flexible,
  effective self-management skills.

28
Evaluate for Nonsexist, Multiracial Materials

• Puzzles
• Lotto games
• Dolls race and anatomically correct
• Books -- do show improvement! Caldecotts

29
Modeling Attitudes

• Sensitize men and women to negative consequences
  of unconsciously biased sexist teaching.
• Admonishing boys for active play.
• Use of terms firemen, mailmen, policemen.
• Female teacher using electric drill.